Legal Montreal-area pot store lures Ottawa-Gatineau residents

On the first day of legalization, National Capital Region capital region residents had to make a long trek to get their cannabis at a legal outlet.

The closest store selling legal cannabisis in Mirabel, Que. about 150 km east of downtown Ottawa and Gatineau.

Adam Salvatore, who lives near Hawkesbury, Ont., about 110km east of Ottawa, said he travelled for more thanan hour and waited in line for more thanthree hoursto buy legal pot.

ve Labrecque, who travelled to Mirabel from her home in western Quebec'sOutaouais region, likewise wanted to be part of the buzz.

"Icame here with my best friend," she said.

"We wanted to be there for the moment and be there for the first day."

So farthere are no provincially operated legal stores openin Gatineau and the Outaouaisregion. One is scheduled to open in Gatineauin 2019, along with two in the Outaouaisthat same year.

In Ontario, privatestores that get licences from the provincewont be openinguntil next spring.

Ontario residents can order online from the provincially operated Ontario Cannabis Store(OCS) but deliverytakes one to three business days, according to the OCSwebsite.

Salvatore said he hopes he doesn't have to wait too long until a store opens closer to home.

"I hope they open stores faster. It's a long drive to come for this," he said.

While the opening of physical stores in Ontario was delayed when the new provincial government introduced changes to its regime, no stores in Gatineauopened due to location issues.

TheSocitQubcoise du Cannabis (SQDC) the government body responsible for cannabis distribution in Quebec planned to open a store in the region in the first phase of legalization, but negotiating a lease took longer than expected, leaving Gatineauwith no physical store.

SQDCsaid they expect to have a lease signed by Nov. 1.

Labrecquesaid she is eager to have a store open in the area.

"I'll be happy that the service is available [at home]."