The SQDC Wants To Open A Store In Mile End & Unlike In Outremont, It Might Actually Work
No two neighbourhoods are exactly alike...
Montreal's Mile End, near the proposed SQDC location.
The SQDC is making plans to open a new branch in Montreal, this time in the Plateau's Mile End neighbourhood, on the corner of Laurier and Saint-Laurent. After a somewhat disastrous attempt in Outremont that led to the borough banning the sale of cannabis entirely, this move could be a good one for the organization.
SQDC spokesperson Fabrice Giguère told MTL Blog that the new store is expected to open towards the end of winter, so excited hipsters will have to be a little patient. But so far, the project has yet to face any public outcry like the protests that happened in Outremont.
This positive message was echoed by the Plateau's spokesperson, Michel Tanguay, who told Métro that the SQDC was following all applicable guidelines and that no issues were anticipated. "This isn't a situation where there's a primary school next door," Tanguay said, referencing debates that the proposed Outremont dispensary was too close to local daycares and other schools.
The Outremont store's proposed location was slightly more than 150 metres from the nearest school, as required by Quebec law, but some argued that its proximity violated the spirit of that law.
These issues aren't foreseen in Mile End, where the nearest school to the corner of Laurier and St-Laurent is several blocks and a park away. The Mile End store will be closer to Fairmount Bagel than the nearby Christian primary school, a truly excellent combination that will allow cannabis enthusiasts to enjoy some of Montreal's finest munchies come next year.
We can expect more details about the project to be revealed in due time, but for now, Mile Enders hoping for that around-the-corner neighbourhood fix will need to be patient.