Ontario Cannabis Store place to shop for legalized pot in Ontario

Ontarians interested in purchasing legalized marijuana now have a name and a place to shop.

The Ontario Cannabis Store will be the brand name of the province’s new cannabis agency, which will be operated by the LCBO.

“The name is designed to convey a safe, simple and approachable environment for consumers, and agency employees, in a clear and easily understood manner,” according to a statement issued Friday.

“We are confident the brand name and logo will help ensure Ontarians are able to safely and easily identify Ontario Cannabis Stores as the sole legal retailer of non-medical cannabis in Ontario.”

The stores will sell dried marijuana, cannabis oil and accessories. Edible products may be added at a later date.

Last September, the province announced it plans to open 150 standalone stores to sell legalized marijuana by 2020, with the first 40 slated to open this summer.

The original plan was to open the brick-and-mortar stores in 14 municipalities by July 1, which was the federal government’s original deadline for the legalization of pot.

While Bill C-45 received final approval in the House of Commons last November, Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor indicated the Senate would have to pass the bill by the end of May at the latest for marijuana sales to start in July.

Conservative senators have threatened to hold up passage of the bill and provincial governments have said they will need two to three months after the bill receives royal assent to prepare for retail sales of cannabis.

Related stories:

LCBO chooses Shopify to run online cannabis sales
Ontario promising $40-million to municipalities for mairjuana enforcement
LCBO identifies first 14 municipalities slated for weed stores
Ontario will sell pot in 150 LCBO-run stores once feds legalize it next summer
Federal marijuana legislation approved by Commons, moves on to Senate

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report