Kitchener, Waterloo and Wilmot Township say yes to cannabis stores

Kitchener, Waterloo and Wilmot towship councils have all voted allow cannabis retail storesin their municipalities.

Votes were held in the municipalities on Monday.City and township staff saidallowingretail stores in their municipalities presented asafer alternative to the illegal cannabis market.

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"Waterloo Regional Police Services have indicated that it is likely that cannabis-related profits and related crimes will be reduced by adopting a legal cannabis retail model," the City of Waterloo said in a release.

Staff also highlighted that allowing cannabis retail stores would improve economic development, create jobs, boost harm reduction and provincial funding for host municipalities.

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Retail stores in Kitchener, Waterloo and Wilmot can'tbe situated close a number of community locations under the newMunicipal Retail Cannabis Store Policy.

Those locations includeaddiction service providers, supportive housing and shelters, libraries and community centres.

Cambridge and Woolwich are scheduled to debate the issue Tuesday.North Dumfries is set to discuss it next Monday, the day before the deadline forall municipalities in Ontario to let the province know their plans.