Ontario’s largest municipality without any legal cannabis retail stores has voted to now allow the shops.
Mississauga, Ont., was one of dozens of municipalities to bar retail cannabis stores from their communities when legalization came into effect in 2018.
But now, four and a half years later, the city council has voted 8-4 to opt in.
The decision comes after a city report highlighted that Mississauga residents are “disproportionately” served by the illegal market in the absence of legal stores.
Count. Dipika Damerla put forward the motion, saying that opting out of the legal framework has allowed illegal stores to flourish in the city, including one in her ward that the police have unsuccessfully tried to shut down six times.
Mayor Bonnie Crombie also spoke in favor, saying she had supported opting out in 2018, but now it’s clear that cannabis is going to be offered in Mississauga, whether legally or illegally, so she wants to ensure it is at least a safe product for residents .