Ontario's plan to allow private pot sales welcomed by Guelph producer

Ontario's Progressive Conservative government announced it will allow recreational pot to be sold in retail stores and will be introducing a private retail model by April 1 of next year. 

"The government of Ontario will not be in the business of running physical cannabis stores," Finance Minister Vic Fedeli said at Queen's Park on Monday late afternoon. 

Fedeli said the new plan will also address illegal dispensaries and storefronts currently open in the province. 

Buck Young, a co-founder and manager of CannTX, a marijuana producing company in Guelph, Ont. said "it's important that the government begins dealing with the issue of illegal dispensaries." 

"The market opportunities for people to operate illegally is so big, but having an online retail space prior to the brick and mortar locations opening allows consumers to access from a safe source and a trusted retailer," Young said. 

 Young said CannTX welcomes the announcement because this will be "levelling the playing field" for producers. 

"I suspect there will be a number of independent and private retailers who will fill the gap and find products that aren't available elsewhere or are a little bit more diverse and are willing to work with local producers," Young said. 

He said CannTX has no intention of selling marijuana out of their production facility, but they will look at "a brick and mortar location" if they have a hard time bringing their products to market or feel like they "can serve consumers better by running retail operations."  

"Something we'd look at, but it's really early and we're still reacting to the news," he said.