Cannabis Bars could be the new norm.
Have you ever been to a cannabis consumption lounge? Well, there may be some changes where we smoke a spliff socially. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce says it’s time to “modernize” its three-year-old cannabis sector — including giving the green light to consumption sites and permits for special occasions — while also stopping the “clustering” of pot stores on retail strips”. You could never have too much weed right? Well, apparently there might be a cap on how many dispensaries are in one area. A new report commissioned by the Ontario government is recommending the establishment of cannabis bars to reduce the amount of pot shops in the province. There are around 1,000 licensed cannabis stores in Ontario, with a large number in Toronto. The report, which was presented to Premier Doug Ford's government earlier this week, argues that allowing consumption sites could help address concerns about the saturation of cannabis stores in certain areas.
More Jobs in the Weed Industry?
Get your cannabis serving licence while you still can! This would create new economic opportunities especially in the hospitality industry. Existing bars and restaurants could simply apply for licences to serve cannabis, while new businesses could be established solely for the purpose of selling and serving weed products. Rocco Rossi, the President of the The Ontario Chamber of Commerce says “we know that after the incredible spending that was required through the pandemic that clearly government can’t continue to spend at that level — and (Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy) has been signalling that restraint has to be shown and the focus put on priorities ... But we don’t cut ourselves to greatness.”
