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Bricks-and-mortar stores won’t open until April. That’s because the Conservative government ditched the planned government-run outlets operated by a branch of the LCBO in favour of privately run pot shops. The licensing rules still have to be worked out.

Photo by OCS

But once the stores arrive, there will be lots of them. In another dramatic about-face from the Liberal approach, the Tories have decided not to limit the number of stores that can receive licences. The free market will be unleashed to vanquish the illegal pot shops and make shopping convenient.

Government officials estimate the province may end up with 500 to 1,000 marijuana stores. The Liberals had planned to start with 40 outlets, expanding to 150 by 2020.

The Conservatives also plan to relax the rules on where people can smoke pot. How that plays out across the province remains to be seen, because municipalities are allowed to slap their own restrictions on public consumption.

Photo by Graeme Roy / THE CANADIAN PRESS

Where can you buy cannabis?

Sales in Ontario are only from the Ontario Cannabis Store. The OCS is run by an agency of the provincial government. It’s open now at ocs.ca

OTTwp

The store’s e-commerce platform is powered by Ottawa’s own Shopify.

The website will operate 24/7. Only people with a delivery address in Ontario can shop at the store.

Photo by HO / THE CANADIAN PRESS

What’s on sale?

Dried flower, pre-rolled joints, cannabis oil, gel capsules filled with oil and a THC-infused “intimate oil” from Gatineau grower Hexo. There are no seeds or seedlings on sale to start.