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Author: Michael J. Armstrong, Associate professor of operations research, Goodman School of Business, Brock University

Legalized cannabis is just a month away, but Ontario won’t have any cannabis stores until April. That’s due to the province’s recent decision to have cannabis outlets run by businesses rather than a government agency, although the agency will still open a retail web site Oct. 17.

In the meantime, the provincial government has many regulatory decisions to make about cannabis retailers. Those retailers could easily number in the hundreds or even thousands as many businesses enter the newly legal industry.

For starters, some cannabis growers naturally want to expand vertically into retailing. Aurora Cannabis is eyeing 100 potential stores. Canopy Growth wants as many Ontario licenses as possible, and already has some in Newfoundland, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.