Montreal—Canada’s student capital and music hub—is already one of the most 420 friendly cities in Canada. And now, with national marijuana legalization set for late summer, Montreal is deep in preparation. According to city officials, one of the factors most important when considering marijuana retail locations is accessibility. For this reason, this Canadian city may get cannabis dispensaries near metro stations.
Who Will Sell Legal Weed In Quebec?
The Canadian government is doing more than funding marijuana research. Soon, the government will also be selling weed.
The government-run Société des alcools du Québec is in charge of all alcohol sales in Quebec. Now, this government corporation will head the newly-founded SQC: la Société québécoise du cannabis. Currently, the SQC is set to open 20 cannabis retail locations, more than their original projection of 15.
Where You’ll Be Able To Buy Weed in Montreal
The SQC plans to open four weed dispensaries near metro entrances on the island of Montreal. More specifically, the cannabis corporation is hoping to set up a marijuana retail location at the Berri UQAM metro stop.
Not only is Berri UQAM at the heart of the city, but it’s the busiest metro stop in Quebec with 13 million entries per year. With three intersecting metro lines, Berri UQAM is one of the best places to sell anything—including weed—in the city.
Officials also have their sights set on Jean Talon, a northern metro hub, and the Mercier-Hochelaga-Maisonneuve metro stop. Both are significant metro stops and are conveniently located near Saint Hubert street and Sherbrooke street shopping areas.
After initially considering the Verdun metro stop, the SQC is still looking for the fourth marijuana retail location. The best spot would be somewhere in the south-west of the island.
The first suggested dispensary locations were Ahuntsic, Anjou, LaSalle and Marché central metro stops. Though these locations are evenly distributed across the island, the City of Montreal suggested that they were too remote.
The Metro Has A History of Weed Sales
This wouldn’t be the first time pot entrepreneurs set their sights on the Montreal metro: Officials have long been attempting to curb drug deals in metro stations.
Installing security cameras and increased policing had little effect on the flourishing drug trade in Montreal subways.
This Canadian city may get cannabis dispensaries near metro stations, and make public transportation safer by doing so.
Why Sell Weed Near Metro Stations?
Per federal marijuana legislation, each province is in charge of creating its own marijuana policy and infrastructure. And according to Quebec law, the SQC cannot open cannabis dispensaries in shopping malls.
This poses a potential problem in a city designed to keep people out of the cold (read: there are a lot of malls).
Locating dispensaries in metro stations is a genius way to make cannabis accessible, all while following the province’s strict marijuana laws.
Other guidelines state that the SQC cannot open dispensaries close to schools or parks, and dispensaries must be a minimum of one kilometer away from one another.
Final Hit: This Canadian City May Get Cannabis Dispensaries Near Metro Stations
The projected opening of marijuana retail locations in four Montreal metro stops is the first step in widespread marijuana accessibility in Quebec. According to La Presse, four other dispensaries are set to open in Montreal in late 2018 to early 2019.
President of SAQ Alain Brunet has big aspirations for SQC and marijuana retail in Canada’s second most populous city. Last week, Brunet told the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal that he expects to open 100 to 150 dispensaries in the city.
It doesn’t seem like Brunet expects marijuana retail to stop there: “If it takes 300 [dispensaries], it takes 300,” he explains.
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