Application for 8th Cannabis Retail Store in Burlington Received by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario: Written Comments due to Province by May 25

Cannabis
Written By

*Please see below a media release issued by the City of Burlington.Burlington, Ont. — May 13, 2020 — The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) has received an application for an eighth cannabis retail store in Burlington called Canada Buds. The proposed location at 1860 Appleby Line, Unit 11B is now up for public comment.Written comments about the proposed location will be received by the AGCO until May 25, 2020 and may be submitted online at www.agco.ca/iAGCO. The AGCO will accept submissions from:

  • A resident of the municipality in which the proposed store is located
  • The municipality representing the area in which the proposed store is located and/or its upper-tier municipality.

Comments submitted to the AGCO should relate to the following matters of public interest:

  • Protecting public health and safety
  • Protecting youth and restricting their access to cannabis
  • Preventing illicit activities in relation to cannabis

After May 25, the AGCO will consider all written comments and available information to decide whether the application for the proposed store location will be approved.Currently there are seven licensed cannabis retail stores in Burlington, including two approved since the ACGO moved to an open licensing system for cannabis retail store applications earlier this year. The seven stores include:

  • Relm Cannabis Co.
 4031 Fairview St., Ste. 103
  • Corner Cannabis
 3007 New St.
  • The Hunny Pot Cannabis Co.
 1505 Guelph Line, Units 3-4
  • Friendly Stranger Plains Road
 1025 and 1059 Plains Rd. E., Unit 3
  • Pioneer Cannabis Co.
 1200 Brant St., Unit B-004
  • mihi
 3500 Dundas St., Unit A1B
  • Canna Cabana Burlington
 2400 Guelph Line, Unit 2

MAYOR MEED WARD'S TAKE:These latest locations all conform to our City’s guidelines and are in locations where we want cannabis stores to exist. Cannabis is still a new venture in our city and we were one of the first municipalities to embrace this new form of business – having these stores in spots that meet our local guidelines ensures safe access to a legal substance to those who are legally allowed to purchase it.QUICK FACTS:

  • On Jan. 14, 2019, Burlington City Council voted to allow the operation of retail cannabis stores in Burlington
  • On Apr. 1, 2019, the first round of brick and mortar, privately-operated retail cannabis stores opened across the province
  • The AGCO is licensing and enforcing regulations related to retail cannabis stores in Ontario
  • The ACGO introduced an open licensing system for cannabis retail stores in January 2020. On March 2, 2020, the ACGO began accepting store authorization applications.
  • The provincial requirement for a cannabis retail store is 150 metres from schools (as defined by the Education Act), as per the provincial regulations. The City of Burlington guideline for a cannabis retail store is 500 metres from schools

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION:Q: I smell marijuana smoke from my neighbour's yard and can’t enjoy my own yard. What can the City do? Does the nuisance bylaw apply?A: The use/consumption of cannabis is not regulated under Municipal Law or under the City’s Municipal Law Enforcement Officers authority.Smoking or Vaping is regulated and enforced by the Halton Region Health Department as they have the authority to enforce the Smoke Free Ontario Act and Halton Regional Police Service enforce the Cannabis Control Act for any growing or using of cannabis.The word nuisance and its definition within the City’s Nuisance and Noise Control By-law is broad, however, when the term nuisance is used in the Nuisance and Noise Control By-law in its relation to Section 4 only, it compasses and captures lighting, noise and vibrations only and does not include the noxious smell of marijuana.BYLAW: Noise and Nuisance Control By-law 19-2003 Nuisances

  1. No person shall cause a nuisance within the City of Burlington without limiting the generality of the foregoing:
    • (1) No strong light or moving or twinkling lights shall be used so that an unusual quantity or type of light shines upon the land of others so as to be or to cause a nuisance to the public generally or to others residing or carrying on a manufacture, trade or business in the vicinity.
    • (2) No noise or vibrations shall be made, caused or created so as to be heard or felt or otherwise perceived outside the property and which are, in the view of all the circumstances including the nature of the neighborhood and the use to which adjoining properties are put and the time of day during which such noise or vibrations are made, caused or created excessive or which are, or may cause a nuisance to the public generally or to others residing or carrying on a manufacture, trade or business in the vicinity.

RELATED LINKS AND RESOURCES:

--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist

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