TORONTO — The Ontario Cannabis Store says it has signed deals with 26 licensed suppliers to provide cannabis for sale online starting this fall.
A list of the OCS partners shows none of the providers are based in northern Ontario.
Nineteen of the companies operate in southern Ontario, while other suppliers are based in B.C., Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
OCS says the supply agreements with authorized Health Canada producers were achieved through a competitive process, "resulting in a range of cannabis products and size formats among the categories of dried flower, cannabis oil and cannabis seeds."
It said that in the coming months, it will continue to hold competitive product calls to expand the selection "and to be responsible to the preferences of Ontario customers."
OCS added that it is working to finalize supply agreements with companies that will provide a diverse selection of cannabis accessories.
It will be the province's sole online retailer when recreational marijuana becomes legal on Oct. 17.
OCS said the purchasing process will include a verification system "that will ensure safe at-home delivery" of products.
It is also establishing a wholesale distribution network that will provide cannabis to legal private stores.
Under a plan developed by the previous Liberal government, the province was to operate 150 brick-and-mortar stores, including one in Thunder Bay that was set to open this October.
The new Progressive Conservative government's revised plan means sales at physical stores won't start until April 2019.
