When marijuana becomes legal, what does that mean for Toronto?

The Liberal government is announcing legislation next month that will legalizemarijuana in Canada by July 1, 2018 so what does that mean for Toronto?

• CBC Exclusive:Liberals to announce marijuana will be legal by July 1, 2018

As CBC News has learned, former Toronto police chief Bill Blair who has beenhandlingthe marijuana file for the federal government briefed the Liberal caucus on the roll-out plan and the legislation during caucus meetings over theweekend.

Now, local authorities and city councillors are weighing in on what impending legalization means for how people buy marijuana in Toronto, a city that's been a hotbed for tension between pop-up dispensaries and the police after the Liberals promised to introduce legislation by this spring.

They say little will change in terms of police crackdowns while marijuana remains illegal, but there will be a push from the city for the province to figure out ideal distribution methods.

Marijuana could be legalized by 2018 Canada Day

7 years ago

Duration 2:08

In a year that's seen the Liberals taken to task on broken promises, legalizing marijuana would be a major promise kept, not to mention a potent tool to win approval with Canadians.

Dispensaries a source of tension

"As a city, we're frankly glad the federal government is getting on with it," said Ward 21 councillor Joe Mihevc. "It's been really difficult managing this hiatus period between the time the government announced that it was going to change legislation and actually doing so."

• Dispensaries will keep selling weed in 2017, and police will keep raiding them
• Violent Toronto pot dispensary robberies often unreported, police say

The number of marijuana dispensaries across Toronto exploded in 2016, which caused concern among neighbours and led to a series of police raids, dozens of arrests, and the seizure of thousands of dollars worth of marijuana.

In January, Toronto police also stressed the level of violence associated with many robberies, including employees and customers at dispensaries being stabbed, pistol-whipped, and pepper-sprayed.

Toronto Police Spokesperson MarkPugashsays the news on marijuana legalization "does not change anything for Toronto Police." He says police will keep enforcing the law as it is until that law changes.

Should marijuana be on LCBOshelves?

Having clear rules about distribution is something city has been "longing for," saidMihevc, who is also chair of Toronto's Board of Health.

He said the city itself won't play much of a role in facilitatingmarijuana distribution, but does want to urge the province to ensure there are controls in place to avoid it being sold to minors, for instance.

"Marijuana is not like a cigarette,"Mihevcsaid. "It is something that does intoxicate you."

• LCBO well suited to sell marijuana when legal, Kathleen Wynne says

TheLCBO, he suggested, could be one of those possible mechanisms, which is something the province has indicated as well.

Back in 2015, premier Kathleen Wynne saidit "makes a lot of sense" to use the LCBO to sell marijuana when it's legalized.

Legalization 'exciting' for cannabis businesses

But Lisa Campbell, a spokesperson for the Cannabis Friendly Business Association, said the province should optfor a private storefront model that wouldn't sell both alcohol and cannabis.

"If we're going to be moving seriously towards legalization... not having cannabis in the LCBO is the number one recommendation," she said.

More generally, Campbell saidhaving a timeline for legalization is "really exciting" for cannabis businesses in Canada.

"We're counting down the days for the next 16 months," she said, adding there is still a lot of clarification needed from the government as for how legalization will roll out.

"It's up to the provinces to set the minimum age for consumption, to set distribution and pricing," she said. "There's still a lot to be determined."