Will Windsor-Essex get a cannabis retail store in second lottery?

The second lottery round of cannabis retail licenses is set to be announced, and Windsor-Essex might finally see a store in the region.

Currently, the closest licensed cannabis retail store is in London, Ont. 

In the region, only three municipalities remain 'opted-out' of cannabis retail: LaSalle, Tecumseh and Lakeshore. 

During the second round, all municipalities are eligible for a store, regardless of population size. This means Amherstburg, Kingsville, Essex, Leamington and Pelee Island might see a store open in town. 

Amherstburg passed a proactive cannabis retail nuisance bylaw unanimously, which allows the town some say in regulating any potential stores.

"Under the municipal act we can regulate nuisances," said manager of licensing and enforcement Nicole Rubli when the bylaw was passed. "We're not able to do a licensing program."

Windsor, Sarnia and Chatham-Kent were previously eligible for a retail store due to their population size.

Windsor is 'hospitable' when it comes to cannabis retail

Dave Martyn, president of Starbuds Canada said he applied for a license again in Windsor because the city has been "very hospitable."

"We also think the economics are quite good, looking across Ontario," said Martyn. "We found landlords have been easy to deal with. We think Windsor makes sense."

Martyn also said Windsor is a non-served market, and that in other provinces cities of this size have done well in the cannabis retail industry. 

Cannabis activist Jodie Emery said she doesn't think the second round of applications will be as popular as the first.

"The first time everyone thought it would be easy, like opening up a restaurant or a coffee shop, you don't need a whole lot of money. You need some, but you can still make a go at it," said Emery. For the second round, that's not as true.

Interested applicants must have met pre-qualification requirements including a letter of secured retail space, a bank letter confirming access to $250,000 and a bank letter confirming ability to get a $50,000 standby letter of credit.

"In the first round there wasn't a merit-based component," said Martyn. "It was essentially a $75 lottery ticket. Just a random set of draws."

The second round of the cannabis store lottery in Ontario will issue 42 more licenses. Eleven of those will be in the West Region, which runs roughly from Windsor to Niagara. 

Newly licensed stores can open as early as October.