Item - 2020.TE16.74

Tracking Status

TE16.74 - Cannabis Clustering on Queen Street East

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Amended
Ward:
14 - Toronto - Danforth

City Council Decision

City Council on July 28 and 29, 2020, adopted the following:

 

1. City Council request the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, when considering the needs and wishes of the community for new retail cannabis locations in the City of Toronto, to give additional weighting to:

 

a. proximity and number of community services that involve children and/or vulnerable adults;

 

b. the proximity of parks and other publicly accessible spaces which support or enable consumption of cannabis outside of private homes; and

 

c. any communications from the City of Toronto that do not support clustering of pot shops.

 

2. City Council request the City Clerk to forward the Item to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario within three business days.

Background Information (Community Council)

(July 15, 2020) Letter from Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth - Cannabis Clustering on Queen Street East
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-151356.pdf
Attachment: Letter to the AGCO from the Chair of the Ralph Thornton Community Centre
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-151357.pdf

Communications (Community Council)

(July 15, 2020) Letter from Councillor Bailao, Ward 9 - Davenport (TE.Supp.TE16.74.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/te/comm/communicationfile-111528.pdf

Motions (City Council)

1 - Motion to Amend Item moved by Councillor Stephen Holyday (Carried)

That City Council amend Toronto and East York Community Council Recommendation 1 so that Recommendation 1 now reads as follows:

 

1.  City Council request that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, when considering the needs and wishes of the community for new retail cannabis locations in the City of Toronto and East York district, give additional weighting to:

 

a. proximity and number of community services that involve children and/or vulnerable adults;

 

b. the proximity of parks and other publicly accessible spaces which support or enable consumption of cannabis outside of private homes; and

 

c. any communications from the City of Toronto that do not support clustering of pot shops.


Motion to Adopt Item as Amended (Carried)

Vote (Adopt Item as Amended) Jul-29-2020

Result: Carried Majority Required - TE16.74 - Adopt the Item as amended
Total members that voted Yes: 21 Members that voted Yes are Paul Ainslie, Ana Bailão, Brad Bradford, Shelley Carroll, Gary Crawford, Joe Cressy, John Filion, Paula Fletcher, Michael Ford, Mark Grimes, Stephen Holyday, Mike Layton, Josh Matlow, Jennifer McKelvie, Denzil Minnan-Wong, Frances Nunziata (Chair), James Pasternak, Gord Perks, Anthony Perruzza, Michael Thompson, Kristyn Wong-Tam
Total members that voted No: 2 Members that voted No are Mike Colle, Cynthia Lai
Total members that were Absent: 2 Members that were absent are Jaye Robinson, John Tory

TE16.74 - Cannabis Clustering on Queen Street East

Decision Type:
ACTION
Status:
Adopted
Ward:
14 - Toronto - Danforth

Community Council Recommendations

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

 

1. City Council request that the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, when considering the needs and wishes of the community for new retail cannabis locations in the Toronto and East York district, give additional weighting to:

 

a. proximity and number of community services that involve children and/or vulnerable adults;

 

b. the proximity of parks and other publicly accessible spaces which support or enable consumption of cannabis outside of private homes; and

 

c. any communications from the City of Toronto that do not support clustering of pot shops.

 

2. City Council request the City Clerk to forward this Item to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario within three business days.

Origin

(July 15, 2020) Letter from Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth

Summary

In the past few months a noticeable cluster of cannabis shop applications have been made on Queen Street in the Riverside Neighbourhood of Toronto-Danforth.

 

The Provincial regulations are far more permissive than the originally proposed Municipal rules, which would have prevented some of the clustering issues.

 

As you can see by this chart, these four applications occur within a city block. They are immediately across the street or beside a city of Toronto Community Centre and Park, a Children's Services drop in centre, a Toronto Public Library branch, and two supportive housing apartment buildings. 

 

Store Name

Location

Date Notice Received

META CANNABIS CO.

698 Queen St. East

May 4, 2020

Nova Cannabis

728 Queen St. East

June 4, 2020

TBD

745 Queen St East

June 12, 2020

Cannoe

800 Queen St. East

June 2, 2020

 

I have received a letter of concern from the Ralph Thornton Community Centre about the proliferation of stores in such a small geographic area. I am attaching this letter for you.

Background Information

(July 15, 2020) Letter from Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 14, Toronto-Danforth - Cannabis Clustering on Queen Street East
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-151356.pdf
Attachment: Letter to the AGCO from the Chair of the Ralph Thornton Community Centre
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/te/bgrd/backgroundfile-151357.pdf

Communications

(July 15, 2020) Letter from Councillor Bailao, Ward 9 - Davenport (TE.Supp.TE16.74.1)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2020/te/comm/communicationfile-111528.pdf

Motions

1 - Motion to Add New Business at Committee moved by Councillor Mike Layton (Carried)

2 - Motion to Adopt Item moved by Councillor Paula Fletcher (Carried)

Vote (Adopt Item) Jul-16-2020

Result: Carried Majority Required
Total members that voted Yes: 6 Members that voted Yes are Ana Bailão, Paula Fletcher, Mike Layton, Josh Matlow, Gord Perks (Chair), Kristyn Wong-Tam
Total members that voted No: 0 Members that voted No are
Total members that were Absent: 2 Members that were absent are Brad Bradford, Joe Cressy
Source: Toronto City Clerk at www.toronto.ca/council