Iqaluit city council green-lights Nunavut's first retail pot shop

Iqaluit city council is giving the go-ahead for Nunavut's first retail pot shop.

Councillors in the territorial capital voted this week to recommend a cannabis store located near downtown, pending approval of a development permit.

The council's motion registry states that the letter of approval is to be forwarded to the territorial government, which has final say over whether the business can launch.

Public consultation for the proposed pot shop ended Aug. 20.

The Nunavut finance ministry states that five cannabis wholesalers currently supply the territory, including Zenabis Global Inc. and Canopy Growth Corp. subsidiary Tweed Inc.

Yukon and the Northwest Territories each have five retail outlets where cannabis is sold, according to their websites, with private-sector pot sales now allowed to some degree in all three territories.