Despite no official word from the province on how it plans to manage the sale of recreational cannabis come October, private retailers are flocking to Ontario to set up shop.
"Ontario is a frenzy right now in terms of entrepreneurs, real estate developers — anybody within the cannabis infrastructure," said David Martyn, president of Starbuds Canada and Compass Cannabis Clinic.
"The level of anticipation that's building up is massive right now."
Martyn said Starbuds — a cannabis retailer originally based in Colorado — has already secured multiple locations in Ontario. The medicinal arm of the company, Compass Cannabis Clinic, already has locations open throughout B.C. and Alberta.
"Within the industry, the rumblings have been going on for three weeks through very reliable sources that private retail would happen [in Ontario]," said Martyn on the company's decision to push ahead despite no formal announcement from the Ontario government.
Top photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
