A St. Catharines business is one of the first three cannabis stores in Ontario to receive its licence.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario announced Thursday that Niagara Herbalist - a business to be located at 33 Lakeshore Rd., Unit 15 - has been approved and issued a cannabis retail operator licence.

The business was selected in an Expression of Interest Lottery for the West Region. A public notice period for its licence application ended on Feb. 20.

The business must still complete its retail store authorization application process, which includes inspections by AGCO compliance officials, before it can open its doors.

The first of Ontario's retail cannabis stores are to open for business no sooner than April 1.

Licences were also issued to Hunny Gawri for a company to be called The Honey Pot Cannabis Co. in Toronto and to Christopher Comrie for a business to be called Central Cannabis in London.