While a judicial review takes place, the Ontario government is freezing its cannabis retail licensing process.
The provincial government will issue 75 retail licenses; businesses were selected via a randomized lottery process earlier this year. The problem is that 11 business owners were disqualified after missing administrative deadlines. Those business owners challenged the decision. A Sept. 25 hearing will determine whether they’ll be allowed to work their way back into the marketplace.
"To my mind, this is just absolutely crazy the way this thing transpired," attorney Peter Brauti told CBC News. Brauti represents the 11 business owners who are challenging the province’s decision.
After disqualifying those businesses, the Ontario government went ahead and selected 11 new businesses for cannabis retail licenses. Attorneys for the province argued that this two-week stay is a disservice to those business teams that are otherwise preparing to open their dispensaries.
