The city of Toronto has voted in favour of allowing retail cannabis stores within city limits.
In a 20-4 vote just before 7 p.m. Thursday, city council said it is in favour of allowing brick and mortar pot stores despite a few other municipalities in the GTA voting to opt out.
In addition, Mayor John Tory's motion to ask the province for more regulatory authority passed unanimously.
Councillors Josh Matlow, John Filion, James Pasternak and Cynthia Lai voted no. Councillor Jaye Robinson was absent.
The motion by Councillor Jim Karygiannis to allow opting out ward-by-ward was ruled out of order because it wasn't legally sound.
The motion later failed 5 to 19.
The vote also opens the city up to more funding from the province. Had the city decided to opt out - and opt back in at a later date - it could have missed out on approximately $3 million in funding.
Retail cannabis was just one of many topics on the agenda for City Council's first meeting of the new term. Councillors also approved beginning discussions on uploading the TTC to the province following a promise Premier Doug Ford made during the election.
Also on the agenda was Tory's new Housing Now plan. Council voted unanimously to approve the plan which involves developing 11 city-owned sites into new housing units within mixed-income and mixed use communities. The housing would also be located close to transit.
- With files from Lucas Meyer and Jackie Rosen