London's first retail pot shop gets approval

London is getting one of the province's first cannabis retail stores.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO)has awarded three licences for applications in London, the Niagara region, and in Toronto.

The application in London was submitted by Christopher Comrie. The store will be located in a plaza at666 Wonderland Road North, near the intersection of Oxford Street.

"Christopher Comrie was selected in the West Region and has submitted a retail store authorization application for Central Cannabis in London.The public notice period ended on February 26," according to a post Thursday on the AGCO website.

The public had two weeks to file a submission with the commission.

The plaza is home to several commercial spaces including Little Caesars Pizza, Ring A Wing and the Stag Shop. It previously housed a former sports bar called The Oarhouse and the restaurant McGinnis Landing.

An online listingfor a vacancy in the plaza byTeamForsterReal EstateProfessionals said the area sees traffic of up to 30,000 vehicles on a daily basis. The listing said the property permits a wide range of uses including financial, personal service and retail.

Back in December, city politicians voted to recommend opting in to allow cannabis stores to operate in London.

Cannabis stores can open in Ontario as early as April 1.