As we finished last week’s newsletter, news was breaking that Doug Ford’s Conservative Ontario government had reversed its pandemic policy of allowing private REC stores to deliver directly to customers. Click-and-collect online ordering for in-person pickup will not be affected. Crown corporation the Ontario Cannabis Store will again have a monopoly on REC delivery.
MJ Biz Daily, BNN Bloomberg
- Regulators have informed REC stores they’ve pushed back the end of delivery for one week, from today (July 15) to July 22, or as late as June 24.
Twitter–@CalyxTrichomes - After that, REC stores will no longer be allowed to deliver products to customers. All product sold by delivery will come from the Ontario Cannabis Store’s warehouse.
Now Toronto, Twitter–@Spectromagix
The cannabis sector was widely critical of the decision, beginning with Ontario’s many new REC retailers struggling to get their stores open in an ongoing pandemic. NORML Canada said forcing customers back into stores is an unncessary public health risk.
CBC Toronto, Twitter–@CalyxTrichomes, @NORMLCanada
- Lawyer Matt Maurer argued there was “no compelling reason” to strip REC stores of their ability to deliver, “certainly not at this particular moment.”
Twitter–@MattPMaurer, - Other than stressing REC stores are again allowed to open provided they abide by distancing rules, Ontario finance minister Rod Phillips offered no explanation for why the government would end private REC deliveries.
BNN Bloomberg, @GoBlueCDN - The National Post ran an editorial criticising the move.
National Post - Across the rest of the sector, scholars, analysts, compliance experts, and other insiders railed against the decision.
IHeartRadio, Twitter–@mollytime777, @SarahSeale18, @kcousineau, @ErinEGratton, @Diplomat, @BDavidson911
