Windsor is one of 14 Ontario communities intended to get a stand-alone cannabis store, according to an update by the LCBO.

In preparation for the federal government’s plan to legalize cannabis by July 2018, the Ministry of Finance and LCBO identified the initial 14 municipalities.

The stores are expected to open by July 2018.

Over the coming weeks, staff from the Ministry of Finance and the LCBO will meet with staff at the identified municipalities to discuss the guidelines and process for siting stores and local interests.

The province says the guidelines will achieve their objectives of protecting youth by ensuring stores are not in close proximity to schools, while providing access within communities and addressing the illegal market.

As part of the engagement with municipalities, when a specific store site is identified, a public notice will be posted online here and at the physical site. The public will have the opportunity to submit questions and comments on the intended site before it is confirmed.

Additional municipalities intended for stores by July 2018 will also be identified. Consumers in all regions of Ontario will have access to cannabis through an online channel.

Here are the 14 cities intended to get a stand-alone cannabis store:

Barrie

Brampton

Hamilton

Kingston

Kitchener

London

Mississauga

Ottawa

Sault Ste. Marie

Sudbury

Thunder Bay

Toronto

Vaughan

Windsor