A major shake-up in the way cannabis is sold in Ontario may be announced next week.
At a news conference in Picton, Premier Doug Ford hinted that a plan to privatize pot sales is on its way.
"We aren't ready to talk about that right now," Ford told reporters. "Marijuana might be in a couple of weeks, or a week."
When asked for clarification, communication staff for the Premier told reporters Ford's comment that an announcement on cannabis "will come later" should be taken at face value.
Questions about the future of cannabis sales have been swirling ever since reports surfaced that the Ford government would change the retail model.
BNN Bloomberg cited a senior industry executive who confirmed the province will switch to an all-private model, taking it out of the hands of the LCBO-operated Ontario Cannabis Store.
The new system will be similar to a model used in Alberta and will allow for privately-run cannabis stores to sell marijuana with licences. Those licences will be granted by the liquor commission.
The previous Liberal government under Kathleen Wynne planned to give the Liquor Control Board of Ontario a monopoly on the sale of recreational cannabis. Forty stores were expected to open this year.
Cannabis will be legalized on October 17th.
-With files from The Canadian Press
