FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION — The Thunder Bay area's first pop-up cannabis shop was shut down almost a soon as it opened.
Bubba's Bud and Smoke shop on Chippewa Road on the Fort William First Nation was forced by the First Nation's leadership to close two days after its grand opening.
The operator shut it down after being contacted last week by the Anishinabek Police Service.
Chief Peter Collins says the business had opened despite a moratorium the band council imposed earlier this year on the establishment of cannabis retail operations.
That ban remains in place until the council consults the community and establishes a policy and regulations.
An official statement published on the FW First Nation website states that council does not intend to "not allow" or "stop opportunities" for cannabis operations.
Rather, it says, "it is FWFN leadership and administration's fiduciary responsibility to ensure proper consultation is done" on issues that impact the entire community.
As such, three public meetings will be held in January and February "to openly discuss" the direction the community should take.
