Summerside’s first marijuana retail store will be on Granville Street
The first legal cannabis retail store in Summerside will be located at 425 Granville St. – the former location of the city’s short-lived foray into Starbucks coffee patronage.
The P.E.I. Liquor Control Commission (PEILCC) announced Wednesday the future locations of two of four planned, provincially-owned, cannabis retail outlets. The second was 509 Main St. in Montague.
The province issued requests for proposals (RFP) from property developers to find homes for its new stores. In addition to Summerside and Montague, there are plans to open retail outlets in the West Prince area and Charlottetown, but a spokesperson for the province said no bids meeting its requirements were received yet for the latter two areas and new RFPs would be issued to try and find locations. It also noted that only one response to the RFP was received in each case for Summerside and Montague.
The federal government is working towards the legalization of marijuana later this year.
News of where the Summerside location would be going came as a surprise to those interviewed by the Journal Pioneer.
Summerside Mayor Bill Martin said he had received no prior indication of the province’s plans.
“The good news is that I prefer to see someone in the Starbucks location than have it be empty. But I’m a little surprised that location can be retrofitted to the extent that is necessary,” said Martin, adding the requirements for housing one of these retail outlets are stringent.
Charlottetown is early in the process of developing its own cannabis bylaw, but Martin said that has not been on Summerside council’s radar just yet.
The PEILCC is recommending that cannabis stores be “a respectful distance,” from schools.
A spokesperson clarified that the commission considers such a distance to be about 300 metres.
The PEILCC has dedicated a section of its website to provide updates on the province’s efforts regarding legalized cannabis, it can be found at: http:// liquorpei.com/peilcc-cannabisupdates/.