The LCBO’s president and CEO confirmed Friday that the Ontario Cannabis Stores will likely not be open, in person or online, until the fall.

"[Ontario Cannabis Store] is in the process of putting up a number of stores, most likely sometime in September, where they can sell cannabis," George Soleas said at the grand opening of the new LCBO location at 1218 Highway 15 in the Riverview Shopping Centre.

Last November, the provincial government intended for the first wave of stand-alone cannabis stores to open this July, including one in Kingston, in time for the federal government legalizing marijuana. In April, it was announced that the Kingston store would be located at 770 Gardiners Rd. in the RioCan Centre. Once the first wave of stores is established, another 15 are supposed to open as well.

Soleas said the Ontario Cannabis Stores’ online presence would also not be open until the fall.

"Sometime in September you’ll see an online presence for cannabis as well as some of the stores are going to be rolling out then," Soleas said.

In April, locations in Guelph, Toronto and Thunder Bay were also identified to be the "initial cannabis retail stores."

Soleas came from downtown Toronto to be at the grand opening of the new LCBO in Kingston’s east end. He said he likes to make it a priority to attend store openings.

"This is an opportunity to see my people, an opportunity to see our partners, suppliers and agents, but more importantly to see the customers and community," Soleas said. "A lot of people think the LCBO is all about generating money and selling booze, but it’s also about the community where we work, where we live, where we give back."

Fred Godbille, the chair of the United Way of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox and Addington’s 2018 annual campaign, was at the grand opening to speak about the contributions of the LCBO and its employees to the campaign.

"They raise money through all their stores in the region. Last year we got about $70,000 for the KFL&A United Way," Godbille said. "We like to partner with them/ They have little fundraising competitions between stores and we appreciate all the support they provide."

Soleas said that on March 31 the LCBO handed over close to $2.2 billion in revenue to its owner: the Ontario government.

"The LCBO is doing very well. We are going through a significant transformation as an organization. We are working very closely with the grocers to help them to sell wine and cider and beer in their stores, but at the same time these [LCBO] stores are a destination for a lot of Ontarians," Soleas said. "They love to come to the LCBO and buy their wine, their beer, their spirits, and to browse. They’re very inviting and we do it in a very socially responsible way."

scrosier@postmedia.com

Twitter: @StephattheWhig