Pot entrepreneur joins rush to open shops in hot Toronto market

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Don Briere already runs the biggest chain of illegal marijuana dispensaries in the country, with 19 locations throughout B.C. Now, he’s expanding eastward, inking deals to open six pot-shop franchises in Toronto.

Sent to prison for once heading British Columbia’s biggest network of marijuana grow operations, Mr. Briere is just one of dozens of entrepreneurs rushing to take advantage of Toronto’s rapid rise as a centre for the illegal storefront sale of cannabis.

Neither the city nor police could provide any data on how many have joined the rush, but academics say the sector has grown from about a dozen tucked-away businesses to roughly 40 locations in less than a year. And industry insiders predict there could be more than 100 in or near Toronto in the next couple of months.

“People are flooding me with requests for franchises,” Mr. Briere said last week while dining with his new partners...

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