Toronto is getting Canada’s first high-end cannabis culture lounge

As the normalization of cannabis culture continues, new businesses offering cannabis-related experiences keep popping up around the city. 

Cannabis bars are already all the rage, and now Toronto is getting a high-end cannabis lounge too. 

The new company behind the lounge is called MoCanna, a global-focused cannabis platform providing an intersection of cultural, educational and retail experiences. 

The company was founded by Lorne Gertner, chairman and c0-founder of the cannabis lifestyle brand Tokyo Smoke.

Gertner said byMinistry’s mission is to broaden and enhance perceptions toward a cannabis normalized future and become the global epicentre for exclusive cannabis cultural experiences.

Today the company announced details for its first major project: byMinistry. 

ByMinistry will be a cannabis-centric lounge and cultural space, and it's slated to open in late 2019 at 850 Adelaide St. West — where the original Tokyo Smoke cafe currently sits. 

Our first location will open in downtown Toronto later this year. Details coming soon! #cannabisnews #byMinistry

— byMinistry (@by_ministry) June 14, 2019

It'll include three spaces: Consumption_Lounge, The_Lab and The_Pit. 

Consumption_Lounge will be an 8,000 square foot lounge to enjoy plant-forward food, drink and products. Guests will also be able to explore and shop cannabis-complimentary merchandise from the retail area. 

As legislation evolves, the Consumption_Lounge plans to serve cannabis-infused food and beverages.

The_Lab will the first culinary school for gastronomic exploration in cannabis-infused cooking, and The_Pit will be a space where patrons can experience interactive music, art, fashion and cultural programming, curated by culture-connoisseur Ashley McKenzie-Barnes.

We're on a mission to shift perceptions about cannabis, creating a space for a post-normalization world#byMinistry #comingsoon #cannabis

— byMinistry (@by_ministry) June 14, 2019

“ByMinistry is in the business of cannabis post-normalization. In the not too distant future, cannabis will be integrated into everyday life, from food and drink to health and wellness to arts and culture,” said Gertner.

“We are creating a welcoming and refined environment that shares an elevated, positive experience where cannabis is normalized.”