Barrie pot store now just a pipe dream for April 1

The chance of seeing a pot shop in Barrie on April 1 has officially gone up in smoke.

Of the five retail licences granted in the Eastern region, two shops are going to Kingston, and three are heading to Ottawa.

Only 25 cannabis stores are permitted across the province, with shops allocated by region. Only municipalities with a population of 50,000 could apply.

In the East region, the cities of Barrie, Belleville, Kawartha Lakes, Kingston, Ottawa and Peterborough qualified.

The nearest stores are “far out” of Simcoe County in Brampton, Oshawa and Sudbury.

Recreational cannabis users can still get their supply online from the Ontario Cannabis Society.