Ontario Cannabis Store announces first Toronto location

Toronto's first-ever legal pot shop will be located in a strip mall that currently houses a Tim Horton's, a Little Caesar's and a Kumon Math & Reading Centre.

The LCBO and Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) announced the news today in a sprawling blog post that includes information about everything from new Board of Directors members to a "product call for cannabis and cannabis accessories."

That's right, the province wants to buy your weed - but first lets talk about the store thing.

The forthcoming OCS brick-and-mortar store at 2480 Gerrard Street East is one of four that were announced in today's release, the other three being in Kingston, Guelph and Thunder Bay.

Ontario Government announces location of first 4 Ontario Cannabis Stores. #onpoli and one of the store locations is on STONE ROAD 🤣😉 pic.twitter.com/iBEK3f4eht

— kevin Young (@KevinYounge) April 11, 2018

More stores will be announced in the coming months, according to the government agency, and their locations will be chosen in an attempt to "minimize proximity to primary and secondary schools," among other things.

Knowing this, it's kind of strange that a plaza with both a tutoring centre and a martial arts school was chosen for Toronto's first legal cannabis shop. But whatever.

Few details have been released as to what the OCS stores will look like, though the release does mention a lobby area where no marijuana products can be displayed.

Preliminary retail store designs are being developed now based on input from individual municipalities, proposed federal regulatory requirements, and best practices from legal weed stores elsewhere in the world.

Toronto’s first ‘Ontario Cannabis Store’ will be located here at 2480 Gerrard St E at the intersection with Victoria Park. Plaza also includes a Tom Hortons, McDonalds and Fresh Co. @680NEWS @CityNews pic.twitter.com/0VtX4f0xGa

— Kyle Hocking (@Hock680NEWS) April 11, 2018

Meanwhile, the OCS has issued a product call "to ensure a complete, transparent, and fair process to obtain cannabis and cannabis accessories."

The call is open to all Canadian cannabis producers who are licensed by Health Canada, as well as to cannabis accessory suppliers (things like bongs and rolling papers, according to a submission form.)

A separate website has been set up for those who wish to do business with the OCS. 

"Cannabis will be sold in the forms allowed under federal law," reads the FAQ section here. "Initially this includes: dried cannabis, cannabis oils & capsules, pre-rolls, and clones & seeds."