{"id":38945,"date":"2026-09-18T10:48:28","date_gmt":"2026-09-18T14:48:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/?p=38945"},"modified":"2026-09-18T10:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T14:48:30","slug":"aurora-votes-2026-council-candidates-share-their-views-on-cannabis-retail-in-aurora","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/aurora-votes-2026-council-candidates-share-their-views-on-cannabis-retail-in-aurora\/","title":{"rendered":"Aurora Votes 2026: Council Candidates share their views on cannabis retail in Aurora"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last week, Council reviewed a series of recommendations made by Aurora\u2019s Cannabis Retail Task Force, a group of citizens and stakeholders that came together earlier this year to discuss the community\u2019s experience as an opt-in community allowing these sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This week, candidates vying for a place at the Council Table in the October 26 Municipal Election were asked, \u201cHow would you assess Aurora\u2019s experience as an opt-in community on cannabis retail, and what would you do as a Councillor to address any concerns you and your constituents might have?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here is how they answered:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARD 1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LAUREN HANNA \u2013 \u201cAurora\u2019s experience has been mixed. In the Town\u2019s 2026 Cannabis Retail Review Survey, which received 154 completed responses, 64% of respondents viewed the impact of cannabis retail negatively and 71% felt there were too many stores; 49% opposed cannabis retail in Aurora and 42% supported it. As a long-time resident and parent living near Yonge and Wellington, I share these concerns, which I also hear while door-knocking in Ward 1. The Town\u2019s 2026 Cannabis Retail Review Task Force found no widespread problems, but did find that serious issues can occur around specific locations. Council adopted its recommendations, which I support: clearer reporting, targeted responses, proactive monitoring, and engagement with retailers, property owners and residents. I would also continue Aurora\u2019s advocacy for greater municipal authority over store locations, clustering, minimum distances from places like schools and parks, and stronger municipal input into Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ROCCO MORSILLO \u2013 \u201cAurora\u2019s decision to allow cannabis retail stores has been a challenging issue, and I\u2019ve heard strong arguments from residents and local businesses. Aurora should have put stronger and more detailed rules in place from the beginning. Concerns about proximity to sensitive locations such as schools, community centres and libraries need to be taken seriously and existing by-laws strictly enforced. We also need to address the issue of store clustering. Having too many cannabis retailers concentrated in one area can change the character of a neighbourhood and create concerns for residents and other businesses. Aurora should have also considered a cap on the total number of cannabis retail stores allowed in our community. Moving forward, we need stronger by-law enforcement, regular liaison meetings with YRP, and ongoing communication with residents and business owners. I would support regular monitoring and an annual review process for cannabis retail locations to ensure they remain compliant with municipal regulations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARD 2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ANGELA DAUST \u2013 \u201cA community survey was commissioned by Aurora to find out what residents thought about our town’s decision to opt into cannabis retail. The majority of residents, 64 percent, feel that cannabis retail stores have had a negative impact on Aurora. Many cited problems with litter, loitering, noise and parking issues, as well as the concern of youth exposure to these establishments. As a Councillor, I would question the number of cannabis establishments that Aurora has and work to pass legislation to cap the number of these stores in Aurora. With regards to the problems such as loitering, littering and noise, bylaw services could be engaged to monitor these establishments on a regular basis to ensure they comply with local bylaws. Another suggestion would be to only allow cannabis retail outlets to open in areas away from residential areas.  The Town of Aurora could also partner with the York Region District School Board to teach youth about the potential impacts of cannabis use.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MARCO DI GIROLAMO \u2013 \u201cI would say the experience has not been what was expected or planned. Unfortunately, at the time of opt-in, our surrounding communities (King, Richmond Hill and Newmarket) chose not to opt-in, putting an undue burden on the Town of Aurora and a disproportionate amount of cannabis retail for a small town like ours. As a Councillor, in collaboration with the rest of Council and the Mayor, I would lobby the Provincial government to limit the amount of retail licenses for our community. I would also work with our By-law department to more actively enforce our no smoking laws and make sure cannabis is not being consumed in parks, playgrounds, retail establishments and schools.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PHIONA DURRANT \u2013 \u201cThe recent conversation surrounding cannabis retail in Aurora completely misses the mark. The issue is not the legalization of cannabis itself or that we have them in Aurora; it is a total lack of localized zoning control and absolute weakness from our local government. When the Town of Aurora chose to opt into this framework, Council requested a 150-metre buffer from daycares and mental health counseling wellness centers. Yet, I have personally seen stores sitting too close to daycares and literally attached to counseling centers. If you choose to opt into a system, you better be damn sure your municipal bylaws actually mean something and can be enforced. Otherwise, don\u2019t opt in at all. Right now, rules on paper mean nothing, and all we are seeing from elected officials is a box-checking game to look like they are doing something. Our Town’s own Cannabis Retail Review Task Force recently confirmed exactly what residents see every day: 71% of surveyed locals feel Aurora has too many stores. Nearby municipalities like Markham, Vaughan, and Richmond Hill actually did their jobs from day one. They used their authority to opt out entirely until strict; protective local controls could be guaranteed. Let\u2019s stop passing the buck and hiding behind the province. We need a complete freeze on any new cannabis retail licenses in Aurora, period. When elected, I would call for us to go back and aggressively review the locations of existing stores that are sitting way too close to sensitive spaces. It is time for our elected officials to stop playing with people’s emotions, start protecting our community, and finally do their jobs. That is the leader you have in me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BRYNN LANSDOWN \u2013 \u201cI\u2019ve heard a fair amount of concern about retail cannabis while door knocking, and the biggest concern I\u2019m hearing is clustering. I think it\u2019s important to separate concerns about retail cannabis itself from concerns about how stores are located and concentrated in our community. While researching this, I found that the Town\u2019s Cannabis Retail Review Task Force found that retail stores have generally not created significant town-wide public safety or enforcement concerns. It did, however, identify location, clustering, compatibility, and nuisance impacts as areas of concern. The Task Force also highlighted the limits of municipal authority. As a Councillor, I would support continued monitoring, clearer reporting channels and targeted enforcement where needed. I would also advocate to the Province and AGCO for municipalities to have more say over separation distances, setbacks, and clustering. I think Aurora should use the authority it has, while pushing for the authority it needs to manage clustering and protect neighbourhood compatibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARD 3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NIKKI ALBER \u2013 \u201cAs a member of Aurora\u2019s Cannabis Retail Review Task Force, I have researched the regulations, enforcement responsibilities and community impacts associated with cannabis retail in Aurora. Currently, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario determines where and how many stores are approved and is responsible for licensing, regulating and enforcing those stores. Although Aurora understood these limitations when it opted in, our experience has shown me that municipalities need a stronger voice. Residents have raised legitimate concerns about the number and concentration of stores, their proximity to residential areas and places used by children, and issues such as odour, litter and disruptive activity around particular locations. As Councillor, I would support consistent enforcement of matters within the Town\u2019s authority, including property standards, signage, litter and smoking regulations, while ensuring complaints about individual businesses are properly documented and directed to the appropriate authority. I would also educate residents about how and where to report concerns, including suspected non-compliance, and advocate directly to the AGCO for timely action. Most importantly, I would advocate to the Province and the AGCO for municipalities to have greater authority over store locations, clustering and reasonable separation distances. The goal should be to ensure cannabis retailers are appropriately located, responsibly operated and compatible with the surrounding community.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALEXANDRA BONHAM \u2013 \u201cThe most important thing a Councillor can do is listen to residents\u2019 concerns and take action where it is appropriate. I respect the concerns some residents have with regards to the number of legal cannabis shops in Aurora, but it is important to remember that cannabis retail is legal and they deserve the same respect we would give to any other local business. Like all new things, there is always going to be a burst of people upfront that will try to take advantage of an opportunity for success, and like all things that success is based on supply and demand. Of course, it will always be important to ensure that cannabis retail is operating under the appropriate rules and regulations in order to protect Aurora\u2019s youth and even those that partake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ROBERT JAMES FRASER \u2013 \u201cCannabis has been legalized by the Federal government and like alcohol products, is available to Canadians of legal age to purchase. The Town of Aurora jumped on the legalization train and according to the AGCO, 18 retail locations have been approved to operate in Aurora to date, although not all of the 18 approved locations have opened.  According to the AGCO\u2019s website, 13 cannabis retail locations are currently operating in Aurora. Considering we have three LCBO outlets for alcohol products (spirits) that remain controlled and not at retail, 13 locations to serve Aurora cannabis consumers does feel like overkill.  My position is that Aurora has more than enough retail locations for cannabis.  If there are specific locations that are causing concerns for residents, they should be addressed by Bylaw Enforcement. Retail locations selling beer and wine are all over Town \u2013 are we having residents complain about them or are we singling out the cannabis consumer as \u2018different\u2019 from the alcohol consumer?  I see consumers of both products through the same lens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HAROLD MacDONALD \u2013 \u201cI believe the overall experience with cannabis stores in our community has been negative. Data from Aurora Council\u2019s survey indicates that 64% of residents have a negative view regarding shops in our town, and 71% say there are simply too many stores. (The Auroran, Sept 3) As Councillor, I would advocate that Council take action: limiting the total number of stores permitted in our Town; restricting locations to appropriate areas, away from youth exposure; ensuring adequate parking is available at each location; developing strict rules about how and where packaging and containers can be discarded; providing safe disposal locations of unused products, as leftover cannabis is highly dangerous to children and pets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARD 4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SHAHEEN MOLEDINA \u2013 \u201cI believe Aurora\u2019s experience as an opt-in community for cannabis retail has been mixed and deserves an evidence-based review. Legal, regulated cannabis businesses can provide economic benefits, but we must also address impacts on residents and neighbouring businesses. I have heard directly from businesses adjacent to cannabis shops about increased vaping and smoking outside their premises, creating concerns about smoke and odour for customers and employees. As a business owner myself, I know how vital a clean, welcoming storefront is to a company’s bottom line. I have also heard from parents concerned about the cannabis shop on Wellington Street located next door to a tutoring business attended by school-aged children. These concerns deserve to be taken seriously. Aurora currently has a dedicated Cannabis Retail Review Task Force that handles cannabis-related matters. As a Councillor, I will support its work, listen to residents, parents, and businesses, and monitor clustering. However, to truly protect our community, we must move beyond passive monitoring. I will actively advocate for tighter municipal zoning and updated Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) to establish strict buffers around sensitive educational sites. I will also push council to formally lobby the province for greater municipal autonomy over retail density. My approach is responsible regulation, community compatibility, protecting children, and supporting local businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARD 5<\/p>\n\n\n\n

JESSIE FRASER \u2013 \u201cAurora chose not to opt out of cannabis retail, which means that we permanently opted in. Resident concerns I\u2019ve heard include the number of locations and proximity to schools. Unfortunately, provincial legislation severely limits municipal oversight in this area. Council cannot create separate zoning or licensing rules or dictate location, but merely submit feedback; the provincial regulator is responsible for approvals. This has not proven to be successful; as far back as the initial 2019 opt-in Council requested proximity considerations for schools, public facilities, etc. but were rejected. The 2026 Cannabis Retail Review Task Force identified number and location of stores, proximity to youth, and neighbourhood impact as ongoing concerns and the provincial limitations on municipal control as problematic. As Councillor, I will focus on ongoing engagement with retailers when community problems arise and collaborative partnerships with other municipalities to lobby the provincial government for greater autonomy over future cannabis retail decisions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HARBINDER (BINDA) THANDI \u2013 \u201cI would have strongly advocated against cannabis retail in Aurora; however, cannabis retail is now a part of Aurora, but I believe residents should have a meaningful voice in how it affects our community. As Councillor, I would listen to concerns about the number of stores, store locations, youth exposure, and neighbourhood impacts, while recognizing the limits of municipal authority. I would use every tool available to advocate for responsible locations and appropriate safeguards. Residents may not always agree, but they deserve to know their concerns are genuinely heard and considered when decisions affecting their neighbourhoods are made.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GEORGE TREMTSIDIS \u2013 \u201cThe number of cannabis stores in Aurora has become out of control and not needed. I think it doesn\u2019t reflect well on our Town and our reputation. This needs to be reviewed even if we need to opt out if possible, in my opinion. Cannabis is a gateway drug in my opinion and when the federal government legalized it, our society has taken a turn for the worse. Again, I would do my best to ban any future openings and review the ones we have to determine if we can have some of them closed but I believe this is a provincial decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WARD 6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NICHOLAS KASHEF \u2013 \u201cWhile several concerns have been raised by residents, particularly nuisance complaints about loitering, litter and the distinct odour that can surround dispensaries, overall I think Aurora was correct to allow retail cannabis stores, I see two root causes of many people\u2019s dissatisfaction however, the province has failed to give municipalities planning control over the density of dispensaries, and Newmarket, Vaughan, Richmond Hill and Markham\u2019s choice to opt-out of allowing dispensaries has concentrated them within Aurora. As a Councillor I would work with our MPPs to pressure the Ontario government into allowing municipalities more control over how many and where dispensaries are allowed within municipalities. This was a reason given as to why Newmarket refused to allow them in the first place. When you give local residents a better say in how we implement legal cannabis retail, more municipalities are willing to do it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

HAROLD KIM \u2013 \u201cAurora is one of only two York Region municipalities that opted in \u2014 and residents have felt the consequences, with stores clustered along our main streets. I voted against opting in back in January 2019 for exactly this reason. We all know that cannabis retail is provincial jurisdiction, controlled through the Alcohol and Gaming Corp of Ontario (AGCO). Municipalities can’t approve or cap stores \u2014 we can only comment on individual applications. That’s why, in November 2023, I brought forward a motion, passed by Council, calling on the province and AGCO to stop accepting further applications in Aurora and set a population-based cap per municipality. The precedent exists \u2014 the province already limits how many grocers can sell beer and wine. As Councillor, I’ll keep pressing Queen’s Park for that cap and support the current task force reviewing local impacts, so no community faces the same intensification we did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Responses from the following candidates had not been received by press time — Ward 3: Reza Vaez Ghamsary; Ward 4: Michael Thompson; Ward 5: Charity Dela Cruz Toupin, Milton Hart, Terrence Zhu; Ward 6: Jibraan Khan, Zivka Kicic.)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Brock Weir
Editor
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Last week, Council reviewed a series of recommendations made by Aurora\u2019s Cannabis Retail Task Force, a group of citizens and stakeholders that came together earlier this year to discuss the community\u2019s experience as an opt-in community allowing these sales. This week, candidates vying for a place at the Council Table in the October 26 Municipal […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-general_news","category-news"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3D2k4-a89","publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-25 14:51:45","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38945"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":38946,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38945\/revisions\/38946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newspapers-online.com\/auroran\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}