Why Ontario smokers still flock to the black market 1 year into pot legalization

gb123

Well-Known Member
because we dont like being poisoned by high priced SHIT... and
WE CAN GROW OUR OWN..
MORE THAN ENOUGH TO LAST A YEAR IN THE BACK YARD OR INSIDE.
So why the fuck would anyone need these fools.??:eyesmoke::idea::clap::hump::weed:


The province's Ministry of the Attorney General told CBC News the government is working to "return to our original plan to allocate retail store licences based on market demand."

The ministry could not say when that would happen.

Shops in other provinces
Other provinces seem to be progressing in their plans to open more stores, despite also running into hurdles in the past year. Last week, Quebec announced plans to more than double the number of physical stores by next March, from 20 to 43.

Alberta, opting to go the route of private retail sales, lists more than 300 pot shops in the province. In July 2019, Statistics Canada reported legal cannabis sales surpassed $21 million there, compared to $29.6 million in Ontario, which has more than three times the population.

British Columbia's private retail stores have also been slow to open, but the province now has 85.

Federal regulations
Lawyer Kendra Stanyon also said federal regulations for producers have frozen some of her clients and prospective clients out of the market.

She said many growers who wanted to join the legal market weren't able to because they simply didn't have the capital since rules dictate potential producers have to have a facility before they can qualify for a licence to grow.

"That's a bit of a pipe dream for a lot of skilled growers who might not have the $3 million or $4 million," said Stanyon.

She said the federal government has also been slow to give licences to small scale growers. As of Sept. 30, Health Canada confirms nine sites have been granted micro-licences. Only three are open so far.

These producers are limited to 200 square metres of growing space and are not allowed to process more than 600 kilograms of pot each year. The idea was to allow small businesses to flourish and welcome black market growers into the legal realm.

The hope of creating a "craft industry" hasn't happened yet, said Stanyon.

Profits
Meanwhile, Statistics Canada figures show black market cannabis production decreased by about 20 per cent since legalization.

While business is good, the owner of Toronto's first legal pot shop doesn't deny the illegal sales cut into his profits.

a group of people standing around a table: The Hunny Pot was Toronto's only legal pot shop to open on time.
© Provided by Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Hunny Pot was Toronto's only legal pot shop to open on time.
"If there was no black market, we'd definitely see a boom," said Hunny Gawri, owner of The Hunny Pot.

The Ontario government also hasn't broken even selling pot. In mid-September, public documents showed the Ontario Cannabis Store lost $42 million in the latest fiscal year. It reported $64 million in revenue and $106 million in expenses. Finance Minister Rod Phillips attributed the loss to startup costs.

Gawri and the industry experts point out there will ultimately be kinks to work out just a year into legalization.

"This is a new industry," said Stanyon.

Legalization has been "limited success," Armstrong said.

"We have producers. We have retailers. An initial chunk of the market has gone over to the legal side, so that's a step forward."
 
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