Sault Ste. Marie City Council has served notice it will oppose retail cannabis shops on downtown Queen Street and several other well-established retail corridors.
A map of preferred weed store locations being sent by city officials to Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) doesn't include many otherwise-eligible sites on Queen Street, Trunk Road, lower Gore and Bruce Streets, and Great Northern Road/Pim south of Willoughby.
Preferred locations include Queen Street West in the neighbourhood around the International Bridge and Studio 10/ The Dime Exotic Nightclub, Wellington Street between East and Elgin in the heart of the Sault's church district, Bruce Street north of the tracks, and Great Northern Road north of Willoughby.
It took councillors just two minutes last night to open the door to provincially licensed cannabis retail stores here, voting against taking advantage of a provincial offer allowing municipalities to opt out by Jan. 22.
Not one councillor offered any questions or comments about the controversial issue.
Even Mayor Provenzano appeared surprised by council's unusual quiescence.
In declining the province's opt-out offer, the Sault by default has accepted retail cannabis sales here.
Sale of cannabis products is regulated by AGCO and the city has no say in the number of local stores or their hours of operation.
Provincial regulations require cannabis outlets to be located in any commercial zone that allows retail sales of other products, at least 150 metres away from elementary or secondary schools.
The municipality, area residents and businesses are all allowed to comment on proposed locations.
The map that Sault Ste. Marie is sending to AGCO is intended to be the city's policy statement on preferred locations.
In addition to the mandatory 150-metre separation from schools, Sault Ste. Marie also wants a minimum 150-metre setback from parks, community centres or existing treatment centres.
"This criteria eliminates a number of locations that are not on major arterial roads and large sections of the downtown area," says Al Horsman, the city's chief administrative officer.
Horsman has committed to track weed store applications in the Sault and advise AGCO of the municipality's wishes.
"It should be noted that these are only comments and AGCO can approve locations that are not consistent with City Council's requirements or comments," Horsman says in a report to Mayor Provenzano and councillors.
Ontario's first retail cannabis stores are expected to open on Apr. 1.
In a separate motion last night, City Council agreed to add cannabis and e-cigarettes to the Sault's existing smoke-free bylaw, ensuring they are regulated in the same manner as tobacco products.
At the instigation of Ward 3 Councillor Matthew Shoemaker, consuming cannabis or tobacco will also now be prohibited on the John Rowswell Hub Trail.
Ward 5 Councillor Corey Gardi voted against the smoke-free bylaw changes.
Over the weekend, AGCO announced the winners of a lottery held to determine who may apply for the province's first 25 cannabis retail licences.
Only two of the initial licences were allotted to northern Ontario.