Ontario Cannabis Store says it has partnered with 26 licensed producers

TORONTO -- The Ontario Cannabis Store says it has partnered with 26 licensed producers for its online retail platform.

The store, which will be Ontario's only online retailer when recreational marijuana is legalized in the fall, said Monday that the supply agreements with Health Canada-authorized producers were competitive.

The online retailer says it will sell a variety of products, including dried flower, cannabis oil and cannabis seeds, to customers 19 and older when pot becomes legal on Oct. 17.

Supply agreements with cannabis accessory suppliers are also in the works, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) says, adding that it plans to expand the selection of its available products over time.

The OCS says to ensure products are delivered to homes safely, it will have a verification system in place.

It says it will also establish a wholesale distribution network to supply pot in private stores.

The Progressive Conservatives' new plan to have cannabis sold through a private retail model is a contrast to the Liberals plan for a provincial government monopoly on cannabis sales.

The province was to operate 150 brick-and-mortar stores by 2020, but the new plan means sales at physical stores won't start until April 2019.