Many bigger players in our industry are pushing to reduce the role of the OCS, but as a small retailer, we appreciate that there is a built-in distribution network, and the bigger players can’t co-opt that network with special deals for big buys, which would make it unsustainable for Mom & Pop shops like ours to serve local communities. The heavy regulation on marketing means we don’t have to spend more money just to stay visible in a sea of ads and sponsorships, since big players aren’t allowed to do anything more than we’re allowed to do. We can focus on our customers and our business, knowing OCS is bringing the product research and testing, the regulated market is allowing people to find us organically, and our competitors are paying the same price for the same selection of products that we are. In some ways, Cannabis is offering Ontario a chance to experiment with what a semi-regulated, semi-private model looks like, and how it can serve different kinds of communities across our diverse and geographically-spread province.
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