Nipissing MPP and Finance Minister Vic Fedeli says that the two locations for the northern cannabis store locations are expected to be revealed soon.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario released the names of 25 winners of a lottery held to determine who may apply for the province's first cannabis retail licences.
The winners were selected from 17,000 applicants.
They are largely entrepreneurs, not corporations.
See related: Winners of cannabis store lottery announced
See related: Cannabis retail regulation guide
The two winners from the province's north region are listed as Anton Lucic and Saturninus Partners.
No further information was provided about the winners, including the communities in which they are based.
Winners, announced in mid January, were given five business days to submit formal applications with a $50,000 letter of credit and a $6,000 non-refundable fee.
“So just over a week ago we signed more contracts with about another half dozen suppliers we we can ensure that 25 stores in Ontario that are open on April 1st will have the adequate supply and I think that was a real acknowledgement that we took the right route in taking a cautious approach,” stated Fedeli about the process.
“There has been prohibition on cannabis for 100 years and it will be here say for 100 years, so do it right this is only month four.”
Fedeli says the cannabis store lottery winners are being vetted by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario.
“Another store was announced Friday in southern Ontario - three were announced - it’s up the 25 who won the lottery to be able to pass the rigor of the AGCO and as they pass and pay their dues they will be announcing themselves where they are going so we are looking forward to hearing where in northeastern and northwestern Ontario where these locations will be,” he said.