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“It’s a big social change that should not be rushed to suit a political timeline,” he said. “No other province in Canada is rushing this. This is too important. It’s too important to keep our streets safe.”

On Friday, the Liberal government announced that it will sell marijuana in as many as 150 dedicated stores run by the province’s liquor control board and the legal age to buy it will be 19 years old.

Ontario residents will also be able to purchase marijuana at separate retail outlets or through a government-run website. The government has said one of its priorities is clamping down on illegal distribution channels.

In July, Canada’s premiers told the federal government they needed answers to questions surrounding the legalization of cannabis or they’d need more time to get their rules in place. They asked for clarification around road safety and enforcement, preparation and training on distribution, taxation, public education, and supply and demand and the impact legalization might have on the black market.

NDP leader Andrea Horwath said the government must put social responsibility first in its legislation, but she noted that the proposal rolled out Friday didn’t say how it will achieve that.

“We don’t know what the taxation levels are going to be,” Horwath said. “We don’t know what the pricing is going to be. We don’t know what the product availability is going to be in terms of what’s going to be marketable in the province. There are far more questions than answers.”