Cannabis retailers fined for not opening on time

A dozen Ontario cannabis retailers are being financially penalized for failing to open their stores at the beginning of this month.

The alcohol and gaming commission, which held a lottery to determine who could apply for store licences, had previously announced a system of escalating penalties for the province’s 25 pot shops if they weren’t able to start serving customers by April 1st.

Stores that missed the deadline would see the commission draw $12,500 on a $50,000 letter of credit and would risk losing the entire amount if they still weren’t up and running by the end of the month.

Only ten of the province’s 25 pot shops were ready for business on last week’s launch date.