Should retail cannabis stores be allowed to operate in Brampton?
As of October 17, 2018 consumers are able to purchase cannabis online only through the Ontario Cannabis Store. Store-front retail sales will not be permitted until, at the earliest, April 1, 2019. Meanwhile, there is no change to the legislation pertaining to medical use of cannabis.
Current Scenario
The City is currently reviewing all of its options, including whether or not to opt out of private cannabis retail stores, and a report was presented to Council on December 5, 2018. The Provincial deadline to opt out is January 22, 2019. Consultations with the public are ongoing, while the city continues to work with the Province, Peel Regional Police and other stakeholders. Visit this page for more information as it becomes available.
What’s been done so far?
In preparation for the legalization of recreational cannabis, the City has established a cross-functional team to identify impacts to City operations and services (i.e. Enforcement & By-law, licensing, zoning for commercial operations, building inspections, Fire & Emergency Services, and other community services such as the Service Brampton call centre).
The City also continues to collaborate with the Region of Peel, other municipalities, Peel Regional Police, Ontario Provincial Police and provincial ministries to identify impacts and mitigation measures.
On November 1-4, 2018, Environics, on behalf of the City, conducted a scientifically valid telephone survey seeking residents’ opinion on whether cannabis retail stores should be allowed to operation open in Brampton. A total of 910 interviews were completed. The survey sample was representative of the City’s demographics in age and gender. The margin of error of this survey is +/- 3.2%, 19 times out of 20.
When asked about whether they support or oppose the city allowing cannabis retail stores, the result showed a majority of respondents support retail stores with:
- 54% strongly or somewhat support;
- 40% strongly or somewhat oppose; and
- 6% undecided.
When respondents were asked to identify their preferred way of obtaining recreational cannabis:
- 62% preferred to make the purchase from a legal private retail store;
- 29% preferred to make the purchase online via the Ontario Cannabis Store; and
- 9% would grow their own.
Read Environics' full report on the Attitude towards Cannabis Retail Stores in Brampton.
The City also conducted an online pulse check from October 30 to November 9, 2018 as a supplement to the telephone survey. Read the results
here.
Further Information
For inquiries related to illegal sales and drug impairment while driving please contact: Peel Regional Police at 905-453-3311
Peel Public Health at 905-799-7700
For general information, please call 311
Last updated: January 7, 2019