Public Notice for a Cannabis Retail Store Authorization

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A Cannabis Retail Store Authorization may be issued to an applicant unless the Registrar finds it is not in the public interest, as set out in the regulation made under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018.

The infographic below shows the basic steps for the public notice process.

1 Applicant posts placard at the proposed store, 15-day public notice period begins, Store location is searchable on iAGCO, 2 Resident/municipality has 15 calendar days to make written submission(s) to the Registrar, 3 AGCO provides copies of written submission(s) received to applicant within the 15 calendar day requirement, 4 Applicant has 5 calendar days to respond from the time written submissions are sent to the applicant, 5 Registrar considers all available information in order to make an authorization decision, 6 Registrar considers written submission(s) received within the 15 calendar day requirement

Public Notice

After an application for a CRSA is submitted through iAGCO, the AGCO’s online portal, the AGCO will determine the dates of the posting period (for a total of 15 calendar days) and will email the public notice placard (in PDF format) to the applicant. 

Once received, an applicant must print and physically display the public notice placard on the proposed storefront. The public notice placard, an example of which is shown below, displays the following information:

  • Name and address of the proposed store;
  • File number of the application;
  • Deadline date for submissions; and
  • Details on who can make a submission and how to make a submission.

Example of public notice placard

Public Notice posting requirements

Applicants are required to post the public notice placard according to the following requirements:

  • Print in colour on letter-sized (8½” x 11”) paper;
  • Post both English and French placards in a place where members of the public can easily read the contents without having to enter the proposed store; and
  • Post for 15 calendar days (start and end dates will be provided to the applicant by the AGCO).

An AGCO Inspector may visit the proposed store to confirm the public notice placard is posted according to the requirements. Failure to post the public notice placard for the required period of time will result in a delay in the processing of the application and may result in reposting the public notice placard for a further 15 days.

All CRSA applications that are undergoing the public notice process will be searchable on the AGCO’s website through the iAGCO portal. 

Subscribe to Applications Undergoing Public Notice

You can sign up to receive emails with updates of new applications undergoing public notice. You can choose the types of applications and specify the locations you would like to subscribe to.

Written submissions

Written submissions about an application can only be made to the Registrar by:

  • A resident of the municipality in which the proposed store is located;
  • The municipality representing the area in which the proposed store is located. If the municipality is a lower-tier municipality, then the upper-tier municipality of which it forms a part may also make a submission. 

Written submissions can be made online at iAGCO.

Submissions must be received by the AGCO on or before the deadline date set out in the public notice. The AGCO will provide copies of any submissions and accompanying documents to the applicant. Anonymous submissions will not be considered.

Written submissions and the public interest

The Registrar will consider written submissions as to why the proposed store is not in the public interest as set out in the regulation made under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018. The following are matters of public interest that can be considered by the Registrar:

  1. Protecting public health and safety;
  2. Protecting youth and restricting their access to cannabis; and
  3. Preventing illicit activities in relation to cannabis.

Copies to the applicant​

After the public notice period has ended, the AGCO will provide the applicant with copies of any submissions received within the required time period in response to the application for a CRSA. Personal details of the submitter, such as name, phone number, email address and mailing address, may be provided to the applicant if included in the content of the submission and/or in accompanying documents. The AGCO aims to provide copies of the submissions to applicants within 10 business days after the submission deadline.

Applicants will have five days, from the time written submissions are sent to the applicant, to provide written submissions to the Registrar in response to any submissions from local residents and from the municipality. The Registrar will consider the applicant’s response, if any.

Registrar’s decision

The Registrar’s decision to issue or to refuse a CRSA is final. Relief may be sought by way of an Application for Judicial Review to the Superior Court of Justice.

Note: The public notice process is not required for stores on First Nations reserves. The location of the store is approved by the band council.