Toronto’s International Airport Considers Adding Pot Shops

Step outside for two minutes anywhere in Canada, and you’ll smell weed. That might include Toronto Pearson Airport too.

In recent news, Pearson International Airport is considering bringing gambling and cannabis shops to terminals but is still working out the logistics.

There are currently no plans as of yet, only conversations. However, the organization behind Pearson hired a lobbyist named Claire Michaels to discuss the subject with government officials.

The organization, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), wrote in a statement that the airport‘s “revenues [are] closely tied to passenger traffic.”

Thus, adding pot shops and gambling would hopefully “diversify its revenue sources and provide a world-class passenger experience,” reads the statement.

During her discussion with government officials, Michaels hopes to tackle three main points about new additions to Pearson;

• Speak with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) about expanding alcoholic beverage services
• Discuss with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario about bringing gaming opportunities
• Talk to those at the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) about bringing retail cannabis stores to the airport

So far, the only response we’ve heard about the subject is from the president of the Cannabis Council of Canada, George Smitherman. He explained that adding pot shops to the airport is something that has a lot of merit to it.

However, he’s worried that the airport isn’t ready to deal with all that comes with setting up and running a cannabis store, like competition and the costly price of running operations altogether.

He agreed that having a cannabis store at the airport would be a great way to showcase Canadian cannabis products and introduce international arrivals to our legal and safe cannabis landscape.

There is currently no word on when and if there will be weed stores at Pearson International Airport.