Huntsville’s first medical marijuana dispensary aiming for an April opening

Danny Carter is hoping to open a medical cannabis dispensary just behind Huntsville’s Main Street. He has entered into a lease agreement with the owner of 59 Main Street East for space at the back of the building where there will be plenty of parking and privacy, too.

My dispensary is going to look very professional. It’s not Main Street exposure so it does give those people that don’t want to go grab their medicine and have the town watch them walk in [privacy]. They can go around back, grab their medicine and they can walk out the front hallway or they can go back out the back and go on with their day Danny Carter, who plans on bringing Huntsville’s first medical marijuana dispensary to town

Carter said he realizes his business venture is a little risqué, given that similar dispensaries are being shut down in other areas, but he said he’s hopeful that when authorities such as the Ontario Provincial Police realize that his establishment will be nothing but professional, they’ll give him a pass. He said no minors will be allowed in his store nor will there be any smoking of marijuana on or around his premises.

“I’m providing an alternative route because the pharmaceutical route clearly isn’t working and it’s often causing more pain and illness for already sick patients,” he said, referring to people suffering from chronic pain or other symptoms as a result of injury or illness. “So I’m stepping in and giving them an alternative route and hopefully a better quality of life.”

He said his products will be laboratory tested to ensure they do not contain things like pesticides, chemicals, metals and fungicides. Carter said the dispensary will also carry tinctures, topical creams and oil extracts as well as dry herbs.There will be a doctor on the premises two days out of the week who will help patients register to get their medical cannabis. Carter also said patients who already have a prescription will also be accepted.

The back of 59 Main Street E

Carter said he’s planning to open in April but if legalization of marijuana is expected to occur anytime around his opening date, he may hold off, he said noting that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to legalize marijuana. “Before it’s legalized I’m trying to get my foot in the door because I don’t have all the money in the world and I need to build up a good customer base and a relationship and I guess that’s what I’m trying to do is beat people to the punch right now, which could work out good or bad. It’s a risk,” he said.

Carter has been playing professional hockey and said he’s giving that up for his new business venture. “I quit playing hockey because I’m also passionate in this and told my coach that I was getting into the cannabis industry.” Carter got to know the area when he played hockey for the South Muskoka Shield back in the day. “I loved the Muskoka area and I’m an outdoor, nature type of guy and [it] seemed like a great fit for a dispensary.”

Times are changing, it’s time to change with them Danny Carter, owner of Carter’s Canadian Cannabis Corporation

We asked Councillor Bob Stone, who sits on the Huntsville BIA Board, how he feels about the business coming to town. “My first answer would be, provided that it adheres to all applicable laws and it is a good member of our downtown association and good for the residents, I’m happy to see it here. I wish it would have come after there was approval from the Federal government with the new initiatives that are anticipated in the spring,” he said, referring to the expected legalization of marijuana, although it is not certain how the legislation surrounding its distribution will unfold.

Last year, Doppler shared MuskokaParma’s plan to produce medical cannabis at the old Tembec flooring plant. Stone said it is going to be a huge boon for the Town. “They will need a hundred employees and that is going to be fabulous. They had started that process years ago so they had approvals before Justin Trudeau mentioned anything about changing the laws. So that alone is fantastic for Huntsville. As far as this independent retailer selling marijuana to residents, as long as they adhere to our laws, I feel obliged to welcome him.”

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