Two Ontario pot shops appear to be violating building code and accessibility laws

Toronto’s only licensed, up-and-running, brick-and-mortar cannabis store was open for business on April 1. But some customers with disabilities encountered difficulties when attempting to access the Hunny Pot Cannabis Co. near Queen Street West and University Avenue—there was no ramp to facilitate access for users of mobility devices such as wheelchairs and walkers.

 

 

Global News reports that Jordan Dragiz went to the Hunny Pot on Monday to pick up a few cannabis products. After a long wait in line, Dragiz arrived at the front–only to realize that there was no ramp to the front door. In order to be served, Dragiz was forced to leave his wheelchair sitting on the sidewalk and had to be brought in and out of the shop without the device, via staff assistance.

“I wasn’t shocked. I was kind of expecting this. But I wasn’t sure if there’s going to be a ramp or not. I’m more shocked they don’t have a ramp,” Dragiz told Global News. “All these buildings are pretty old … I was wondering what I was going to do, how I was going to get in. But good thing they were nice enough to help me in.”

Staff at the Hunny Pot Cannabis Co. went on the defensive when asked by Global News to explain the lack of accessibility.

“We fully accommodated those individuals. Today, up to four individuals came through with accessibility needs including wheelchair and each were able to purchase product,” Kate Johnny informed Global News in a statement on Monday night. Johnny added that the shop’s owner is working with consultants to identify and correct accessibility issues.

“We do have a temporary ramp that we can bring in to let them come into the store and the ability for our budtenders to bring the point-of-sale and products directly to the individual who currently cannot access the third and fourth floor retail spaces,” says Johnny.

Global reports that upon attending the store on Monday to view the temporary ramp, a rep informed them that the store could not display the ramp due to the influx of clients.

The Hunny Pot Cannabis Co. appears to be in violation of the Ontario Building Code and accessibility laws.

Ottawa’s Fire & Flower is also currently inaccessible to potential clients with mobility issues.

“I can tell you that all businesses need to adhere to the Ontario Building Code, which says that any new or considerably renovated building needs to be accessible for people with disabilities,” Minister for Seniors and Accessibility Raymond Cho said in a statement.

“I am reviewing the matter immediately and will be working very closely with my colleague, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, as well as my other colleagues who are engaged on this issue on ensuring that we take a full government approach to accessibility.”

Hunny Pot is not the only Ontario dispensary catching criticism for a lack of accessibility. Ottawa’s Fire & Flower is also currently inaccessible to potential clients with mobility issues, although Ottawans have other options at their disposal that are accessible such as Hobo and Superette.

Global reports Fire & Flower spokesperson Nathan Mison says that a “wheelchair ramp, a chair lift, a wider front doorway and wider hallways” were originally planned as part of the store. Because the shop is located in a heritage building, he says, any major renovations would require municipal approval.

As a result, plans to make the store accessible to all clients had to be delayed in order to open by April 1. Because of that, and the tight timeline the company faced before opening day, plans to make the building fully accessible had to be delayed, says Mison, who claims Fire & Flower is working with the city of Ottawa and hopes to have changes implemented over the next few months.

“It’s still in process and we’re still working that through,” he said.

It is unclear whether Hunny Pot or Fire & Flower will face repercussions for flouting provincial disability laws.