Marijuana and Doug Ford
In the last little while since Doug Ford has been elected the Premier of Ontario, there have been a number of articles written in any number of Canadian newspapers and magazines related to Doug Ford and his stance on marijuana sales in Ontario.
This coming July of 2018, the federal government under Justin Trudeau is supposed to unveil cannabis legislation that allows for the sale and distribution of marijuana across Canada. Each Province has the ability to determine how the sales will be handled within their jurisdiction.
Under the previous Liberal government in Ontario, it was widely understood that the distribution and sale of marijuana would be solely under the government control through the LCBO.
Doug Ford has stated that, in his view, the sales should be available privately and not distributed through the LCBO or any government institution, however, we are still a fair amount of time away from having his views become policy.
We have had a large number of individuals who have either registered or incorporated businesses in Ontario related to the sale of cannabis. There have been many cannabis stores open up across Ontario and then a large portion of them were in turn shut down by municipal authorities.
It would appear that until this new government gets up and rolling and we see legislation or policies comes forward from the Progressive Conservative Government, we will continue to be in a grey area of not knowing what the ultimate decisions, restrictions and platform for the sale and distribution of marijuana will lead.
With this in mind, it is up to the individual to determine if now is a good time to consider opening and operating a business under these conditions. Our office receives several calls a week looking for answers from individuals who wish to operate a business within this industry. Time will tell whether newly formed businesses will be left to continue as is or if they will be restricted and forced to shut down.
If you choose to start a business and operate in this uncertain time, please be aware of the circumstances where accessibility to selling marijuana may change.
We have been assisting individuals to either incorporate or register their businesses for over 25 years. We would be more than happy to assist you to start your business within this industry in Ontario.
There does not appear to be any restrictions currently on business names including the words cannabis, marijuana, weed or pot that would be specifically associated with the cannabis business.
If you would like to register a small business known as a Master Business Licence as either a Sole Proprietorship or General Partnership, here is the link to do so:
If you wish to incorporate and gain name protection, limited personal liability and potential tax advantages, here is the link to do so
Each year Ontario Business Central assists thousands of individuals to either register or incorporate their businesses. Our friendly, knowledgeable staff is always here to assist if you have any questions
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to our staff for additional information and assistance.
inquiries@ontariobusinesscentral.ca
Toll-Free: 1-800-280-1913
Local: 1-416-599-9009
Fax: 1-866-294-4363
Office Hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm
Monday – Friday E.S.T.
Ontario Business Central Inc. is not a law firm and cannot provide a legal opinion or advice. This information is to assist you in understanding the requirements of registration within the chosen jurisdiction. It is always recommended, when you have legal or accounting questions that you speak to a qualified professional.
