Potential Tillsonburg retail cannabis store receives zoning change

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A zone change that will allow a retail cannabis store in Tillsonburg was approved this month by town council.

The building – located at 52 Simcoe St. – was picked as a possible retail cannabis location because there’s no second floor. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario regulations regarding retail cannabis locations requires no “tenancy above the actual location,” the applicant said.

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Jason Kane, owner of the Dominion Lending Centre in Tillsonburg for the past two years, said he originally looked at downtown sites but the Simcoe Street location met his needs.

“I did look actually look to the downtown core for this location. … Our initial use (of 52 Simcoe St.) would be the top floor, which is around 2,500 square feet. We do have access for storage that we would be using (the 1,800 square feet) in the basement for some of the product.”

Kane said the building would also provide sufficient parking.

He said he would have preferred to convert his existing space at 18 Oxford St., but that’s not allowed under the provincial guidelines because of the second floor.

Kane said he’s both a member of the Tillsonburg BIA and the chamber of commerce.

Staff were concerned about the size of the potential retail space since the official plan requires a 3,500-square-foot area, leaving the main floor of the Simcoe Street building about 1,000 square feet short. However, when including the basement, the site would meet the needs.

Eric Gilbert, the Oxford County planner for Tillsonburg, said there’s zoning for cannabis production in other Oxford municipalities, but this would be the first for retail.

cabbott@postmedia.com