St. Clair Township is standing by its previous decision not to welcome cannabis stores in the community.
Councillors voted unanimously against a motion to opt back into the pot shop market, citing concerns about the lack of municipal control over the location and number of retail outlets.
Deputy Mayor Steve Miller said he thinks there needs to be a limit.
"Until we have clarification on whether we can restrict the amount of these, I can't support it," said Miller. "I don't want a cannabis store in every village in the township."
In 2019, St. Clair Township became one of three municipalities in Lambton County to opt-out of allowing the sale of recreational marijuana in the community.
The issue was revisited Monday in response to a letter from Corporate Commercial Realty indicating interest has been shown in its plaza space by potential pot shop applicants.
There are currently seven applications before the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario for retail cannabis outlets in Sarnia and another one in Grand Bend.
City council is lobbying the province for more local control over the number and location of stores.
The Doug Ford government announced late last year that it was abandoning its previous lottery system and moving to an open market for retail cannabis stores.
-With files from Dave Dentinger
