New York state began accepting applications Thursday to open its first legal recreational pot shops, taking a novel approach by reserving the initial roughly 150 retail dispensary licenses for people with past pot convictions or their relatives.
The application process is a key step toward opening one of the country's most hotly awaited legal cannabis markets, but there's no exact date yet for sales to begin. Except for California, New York is the most populous among the 19 U.S. states that have legalized possession and use of marijuana for adults.
New York officials have emphasized that they want to make sure the new industry provides opportunity to people who bore the brunt of drug law enforcement, which fell disproportionately on Black and Latino people.
The state announced this winter that the first round of retail cannabis licenses would go to businesses and non-profit groups with a leader who was convicted of a marijuana offence or has a close relation who was.
It's a "unique strategy that we're implementing to try to make sure that those most impacted have real opportunity to participate here," state Office of Cannabis Management Executive Director Chris Alexander said at a virtual news conference.
"It's really about writing a wrong," he added.
First-round license requirements also include experience running a business that was profitable for at least two years.
Other would-be dispensary proprietors will be able to apply later, with a focus on people of colour, women, struggling farmers, disabled veterans and people from communities that endured heavy pot policing.
New York aims to provide 50% of its total licenses to such applicants. The state also has pledged to establish a US$200 million fund for startup grants, loans and other assistance for them.
Mounties in British Columbia have discovered the 'largest and most sophisticated' drug-production laboratory in Canadian history, federal investigators announced Thursday, describing the facility as a 'super lab' operated by international organized criminals.
The Alberta government has tabled three bills that will change, among other things, how transgender youth and athletes are treated in the province.
A 19-year-old mother has been charged with murder after her baby died in a house fire in Toronto last week, police say.
The Quebec government has suspended applications for permanent residency from two immigration streams because it says it can no longer accommodate the rising number of newcomers.
MLB star Freddie Freeman, a dual Canada-U.S. citizen, has made history as a member of the World Series winning Los Angeles Dodgers.
Half of the world's population will undergo menopause if they live to middle age, but symptoms start occurring several years before that life change.
A woman has been charged with dangerous driving causing death after a six-year-old boy was struck and killed by a school bus in Vaughan back in June, York Regional Police say.
The owners of the Whistle Stop Cafe is suing the Alberta government for imposing mandates on businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.
British Columbia's ports may again be disrupted by a labour dispute, as employers say they have received 72-hour strike notice from the union representing foremen.
The investigation into allegations a B.C. woman drugged and stole from men who hired her as an escort – leaving one victim dead – was marked by "professional negligence, recklessness, and operational failures," according to a judge.
A 24-year-old woman has died after she was hit by a Halifax Transit bus Thursday morning.
The Alberta government has tabled three bills that will change, among other things, how transgender youth and athletes are treated in the province.
Mounties in British Columbia have discovered the 'largest and most sophisticated' drug-production laboratory in Canadian history, federal investigators announced Thursday, describing the facility as a 'super lab' operated by international organized criminals.
A 19-year-old mother has been charged with murder after her baby died in a house fire in Toronto last week, police say.
Residential school survivors are calling on Canada to criminalize residential school denialism, echoing one of the findings in a report about unmarked graves and burial sites associated with the institutions.
North Korea on Friday bragged of its recently tested new intercontinental ballistic missile, calling it “the world’s strongest,” a claim viewed by outside experts as propaganda though the test showed an advancement in the North's quest to build a more reliable weapons arsenal.
A grand jury in Nevada has again indicted Nathan Chasing Horse on charges that he sexually abused Indigenous women and girls, reviving a sweeping criminal case against the former “Dances with Wolves” actor.
A Florida man is recovering from a shark bite just over a decade after being bitten at the same beach.
More than 400 alleged victims have so far contacted the legal team working on a case against the late Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed, who has been accused of sexual abuse and rape, lawyer Dean Armstrong said on Thursday.
The United States expects some 8,000 North Korean troops that are now on Ukraine’s border to be sent into combat in the coming days, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Thursday.
Crews searched for bodies in stranded cars and sodden buildings Thursday as people tried to salvage what they could from their ruined homes following monstrous flash floods in Spain that claimed at least 158 lives, with 155 deaths confirmed in the eastern Valencia region alone.
Canada will need a profound shift in political priorities if the country is to ramp up spending to meet its international security obligations.
Residential school survivors are calling on Canada to criminalize residential school denialism, echoing one of the findings in a report about unmarked graves and burial sites associated with the institutions.
Jagmeet Singh says the NDP will not support the Bloc Québécois and Conservative leaders to help them bring down the Liberal government.
The Alzheimer Society says people with dementia should have the right to request medical assistance in dying in advance — but it must not be a replacement for high-quality palliative care.
Half of the world's population will undergo menopause if they live to middle age, but symptoms start occurring several years before that life change.
A million Canadians have received care under the federal dental-care plan six months after the program began, Health Minister Mark Holland said Thursday.
As Phobos, one of Mars’ two moons, passed in front of the sun, it cast a lumpy, potato-shaped shadow on the sun’s face as well as on the Martian surface.
The oldest known surviving tombstone in the United States is an elaborate display of wealth — an intricately carved slab of black limestone initially laid in the floor of the second church of Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent British settlement in North America.
Over four days on the water in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Heather Bowlby and her team from Fisheries and Oceans Canada tagged 15 great white sharks.
Rapper Young Thug pleaded guilty Thursday in Atlanta to gang, drug and gun charges and will be released from jail, though he could be put back behind bars if he violates the terms of his sentence.
Police on Vancouver Island say one suspect has been arrested and another is believed to have fled Canada after shots were fired at a Punjabi musician's Victoria-area home last month.
The situation facing out-of-town Taylor Swift fans now may be even worse, with some hotel rooms and short-term rentals in Toronto and Vancouver on show weekends costing 10 times more than other weekends.
Dockworkers at the Port of Montreal started a new strike Thursday morning, forcing the indefinite shutdown of two container terminals at the country's second biggest port.
British Columbia's ports may again be disrupted by a labour dispute, as employers say they have received 72-hour strike notice from the union representing foremen.
A U.S. senator is raising concerns that TD Bank Group executives did not face charges as part of the bank's settlement over its failure to detect large-scale money laundering.
A New York man who turned a rescued squirrel into a social media star called Peanut is pleading with state authorities to return his beloved pet after they seized it during a raid that also yielded a raccoon named Fred.
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
Two cute, fluffy alpacas brought a smile to commuters’ faces Wednesday morning as they rode the GO Train from Scarborough to Union Station in advance of the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, which kicks off this weekend.
MLB star Freddie Freeman, a dual Canada-U.S. citizen, has made history as a member of the World Series winning Los Angeles Dodgers.
Australian golfer Jeffrey Guan’s dreams came true in September, as he made his PGA Tour debut. A week later, the 20-year-old was left blinded in one eye after being struck in the face by a golf ball.
Scotiabank Arena is pulling back the curtain and offering Toronto sports fans a behind-the-scenes look inside the storied building.
Several Ford vehicles have been recalled in Canada due to issues with braking systems, steering and child car seat tethers.
Volkswagen has informed employee representatives that it wants to close at least three plants in Germany, the head of the company's works council said Monday.
A 17-year-old Ottawa driver was caught speeding nearly 90 km/h over the speed limit on Highway 417.
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
A Halifax junk remover shares some of his company’s strangest discoveries.
When Leah arrived at work directing traffic around a construction site, she never expected to see a van painted in all sorts of bright colours, and covered in eclectic decorations, including a stuffed moose attached to its roof.
After 14 years of repairing and selling bicycles out of the garage of her home, a Guelph, Ont. woman’s efforts have ended – for now, at least.
Epcor says it has removed more than 20,000 goldfish from an Edmonton stormwater pond.
Witches and warlocks have been flocking to New Brunswick waterways this month, as a new Halloween tradition ripples across the province.
New Brunswicker Jillea Godin’s elaborate cosplay pieces attract thousands to her online accounts, as well as requests from celebrities for their own pieces.
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.
The investigation into allegations a B.C. woman drugged and stole from men who hired her as an escort – leaving one victim dead – was marked by "professional negligence, recklessness, and operational failures," according to a judge.
Police on Vancouver Island say one suspect has been arrested and another is believed to have fled Canada after shots were fired at a Punjabi musician's Victoria-area home last month.
A landlord from B.C.’s Lower Mainland who evicted a longtime tenant only to rent out the same unit months later for more money has been ordered to compensate him $16,480.
A 19-year-old mother has been charged with murder after her baby died in a house fire in Toronto last week, police say.
An 11-year-old girl is in critical condition after being struck by a Mi-Way bus outside of a school in Mississauga Thursday afternoon.
Auston Matthews has come face to face with his look-alike. On Thursday, the Maple Leafs star met seven-year-old Grayson Joseph, who went viral for dressing up as an Auston Matthews hockey card.
A man in his 60s was airlifted to hospital in Calgary in life-threatening condition following an e-bike crash near Diamond Valley, Alta.
If you’re looking for a scare this Halloween, you don’t have to look far in Calgary with several homes across the city transformed into haunted houses.
Some Calgary city council members are taking issue with comments made by Alberta's addiction minister and are reiterating any decision to close a Supervised Consumption Site at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre is a provincial responsibility.
Ottawa will be a major stop along an incoming high speed rail line, which will soon be announced by the federal government.
As of Oct. 31, all eligible grocery and big-box stores are able to buy beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink beverages, including large pack sizes. The Ontario government says an additional 400 grocery stores will be selling alcohol across the province.
The Ottawa Police Service Homicide Unit, and Guns and Gangs Unit are asking the public for help in identifying two persons of interest allegedly involved in a series of criminal incidents that happened in 2021, 2022, and this year.
Provincial Police say a man in his 80s is in critical condition after being hit while trying to cross Highway 13.
Chiropractor Alain Levaque started decorating his Greenfield Park lawn for Halloween 13 years ago and gets about 2,000 visitors every year.
School board elections are just days away but the fight to keep them is ongoing as court battles resume over Bill 40 in January.
The Alberta government has tabled three bills that will change, among other things, how transgender youth and athletes are treated in the province.
Halloween night is a day most kids and parents look forward to. While getting candy and having a spooky time is the name of the game, it's important to stay safe when on the prowl for sugary goods.
A growing trend in Edmonton means plenty of newly renovated homes on the market. And that buyers need to beware.
A 24-year-old woman has died after she was hit by a Halifax Transit bus Thursday morning.
Mason Louie of Moncton, N.B., has been decorating his house since 2019, but this year his family received a note calling the display too scary for children.
The daughter of a Nova Scotia woman who was killed by her husband of 33 years earlier this month in Enfield says she wants police to release more details about domestic violence cases.
Winnipeg restaurant owners are calling for help amid rising crime in their dining rooms, saying the province’s retail crime initiative doesn’t go far enough.
Newly elected trustees at the Mountain View School Division, hope they can help end months of turmoil surrounding the school board.
A Winnipeg high school football record that has stood since 2009 has been broken by two different players.
A large percentage of newly elected MLAs in Saskatchewan are women, according to a Canadian organization called Equal Voice.
Conservation officers are asking for tips from the public after about 100 snow geese were shot and left to waste near Moose Jaw.
Here's a look at the candidates for Ward 2 ahead Regina's civic election on Nov. 13.
An 80-year-old Cambridge woman is dead following a crash in Cambridge Thursday morning.
People living in an encampment in Guelph have been told they have two weeks to pack up and get out.
Thursday marks one of the biggest days on the Hindu calendar, with Diwali bringing in millions of people together in worship and celebration.
Saskatchewan RCMP are looking for a man wanted in connection with a dangerous person alert sent out across the province last week.
A large percentage of newly elected MLAs in Saskatchewan are women, according to a Canadian organization called Equal Voice.
Four Saskatoon mayoral candidates had their chance to challenge each other on various issues during a televised debate Wednesday night.
Between Timmins and Thunder Bay, only Sensenbrenner Hospital in Kapuskasing has an operating obstetrics department.
Juanita Migwans – or 'Winnie,' as her family calls her – of M'Chigeeng First Nation has been missing for almost a month.
With news that big box grocery stores are allowed to sell alcohol, CTV News decided to check in with local convenience stores to see how sales are going.
The London Health Sciences Centre’s (LHSC) past financial practices are going under a criminal microscope.
As reported on Tuesday, police said a man was with his family in a park near King Street and Thames Street, when an unknown man approached.
On Thursday, Maya Pluchowski resumed with her testimony telling the jury about the moments after an 18-year-old Western University student was shot and killed.
York Regional Police (YRP) are on the hunt for a man allegedly involved in the shooting of a 65-year-old man in Schomberg as he walked his dog in February 2023.
A large group of people have been temporarily displaced after a fire at an Orillia apartment complex.
Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall is ready to take action to address the issue of homeless encampments popping up in open areas, which is bound to come with some backlash.
The 2024 Poppy Campaign is officially underway, in support of the Royal Canadian Legion.
As famers across southwestern Ontario flirt with record-breaking warmth, many are watching the skies, waiting to start preparations for the colder months ahead.
A man accused of attempted murder has been arrested for failing to comply with his bail conditions.
Mounties in British Columbia have discovered the 'largest and most sophisticated' drug-production laboratory in Canadian history, federal investigators announced Thursday, describing the facility as a 'super lab' operated by international organized criminals.
Vote counting in the British Columbia provincial election will finally conclude next week with judicial recounts set for two ridings.
Three and a half years after losing her only child, a Victoria mother has confirmed something she has long believed: her daughter’s death was not an accident.
More than two years after Alannah Brown and Douglas Barker were found dead north of Penticton, police are asking for help identifying a vehicle they believe was associated with the crime.
Dave Lindsey began growing giant pumpkins to bring a bit of magic to his grandkids' Halloween.
A U.S. District Court judge in Montana has sentenced a 27-year-old man from Kelowna, B.C., to 18 months in prison for using fake names to buy guns with the aim of selling them in Canada.
The University of Lethbridge Pronghorn Athletics Annual Safe Ride Home campaign is making a return this year, but with a new name.
A three goal outburst in the first period of Wednesday night’s game against the Swift Current Broncos was all the Hurricanes need on their way to 3-1 win at home against the Swift Current Broncos.
A 27-year-old security guard has been charged after an incident where a bar patron sustained life-threatening injuries.
A 40-year-old suspect has been charged with sexual assault following an incident Wednesday in Sault Ste. Marie.
Juanita Migwans – or 'Winnie,' as her family calls her – of M'Chigeeng First Nation has been missing for almost a month.
The City of Greater Sudbury has been chosen to host the Ontario 55+ Summer Games next year.
Newfoundland and Labrador's auditor general has issued a warning about the province's financial position as the government announced it would finish the 2024-25 fiscal year with a higher-than-expected deficit.
Police in Newfoundland and Labrador have charged an off-duty RCMP officer for allegedly driving while impaired, following a crash on Sunday.
The human remains recovered off Placentia Bay, N.L., earlier this month have been identified as the coast guard employee who went missing at sea in September.
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