No kids allowed inside private pot shops

Don't take your kids along on your trip to the pot shop once Ottawa's licensed retailers open Monday unless you're comfortable with having them wait outside.

Under the rules governing Ontario's private cannabis retailers, minors aren't allowed to set foot inside the shops, unlike the province's liquor stores.

During a public information session Thursday night, representativesof Fire & Flower, a cannabis retailer set to open on York Street on Monday, confirmed youngsters won't be allowed inside, and staff will check to make sure anyone entering the store is 19, the owners said.

"What happens if somebody comes with their five- or six-year-old kid, or the 15-year-old kid? What do you do with them? Is there a room that you leave them in?" asked Steve Monuk, owner of Lowertown Brewery and other ByWard Market businesses.

No, the company's representatives said, there won't be a waiting room for minors.

Cannabis shoppers won't be allowed to bring kids into stores

6 years ago

Duration 0:25

At a public meeting on Thursday, Steve Monuk, owner of Lowertown Brewery, asked what shoppers at a cannabis store in the ByWard Market will do with their children while they browse.

Security concerns

Coun. Mathieu Fleury organized Thursday's meeting. He's asking forsecurity measures at the store similar to those at aBeer Store or LCBO, andasked that the operator consult the community, the ByWard Market BIA and his office before reducing security.

"We do definitely care about security. We are taking appropriate measures," said Michael Patterson, the store's co-owner.

The store has hired security staff and installed cameras both inside and outside, Patterson said.

"Any reduction in security that we take later on will obviously be well thought out and made sure that it's the right choice before we do that."

The store will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., two hours short ofthe9 a.m. to 11 p.m. opening hours allowed under provincial rules.

Supply has arrived

Quebec's government-run stores were overwhelmed with demandon opening day. The Ontario government has alack of cannabis supplyled it to limit the initial round of privately-run stores to 25.

Company representatives said Fire & Flower has received its first shipments from the Ontario Cannabis Store.

"Until we're open, it's hard to predict exactly what the demand will be. But we think that what the province has done is reasonable. We thinkit should be able to meet all of our demand," Patterson said.

There are two other licensed cannabis retailers in Ottawa slated to open on April 1one near the intersection of Bank and James streets, and the other on Wellington Street W.