A "cannabis desert" along Highway 17 in the Warren area, west of Sturgeon Falls is having its marijuana needs filled by a new business called EnRoute Cannabis.
The tiny community sees the opening of the locally-owned legal cannabis store as a “quick stop” shop on Hwy 17, halfway between Sudbury and North Bay.
The municipality of Marstay-Warren had “opted out” of allowing Cannabis retail, creating a 500km² dry zone from Basin Mines to St. Charles, and along the highway from Stinson to Warren.
When the Gaudrault family returned to the area after 25 years, settling just outside of Warren, they never dreamed they would be the ones to fill the gap.
Alain Gaudrault, owns EnRoute Cannabis together with his wife and partner, Cheryl Ives.
“We knew it was time to come home to the north,” says Gaudrault, “and we knew we would see our next steps once we got here.”
The two were were throwing around ideas, and almost as a joke, Alain suggested cannabis.
“I thought we couldn’t, because of the opt-out zone, but it turns out our property falls on the West Nipissing side of the border,” recalls his wife, Cheryl.
The couple started researching the community.
“We wanted to understand why Markstay-Warren had opted out, what the concerns were,” the couple explained to BayToday.
Alain approached local businesses and politicians, discovering that most people were just worried about having it sold in the small towns of the unique, rural area.
“It turns out, everyone’s pretty happy with where we are,” he says. “They don’t want it in their backyard, but they want access. The community has been really welcoming! People were tired of driving to Sudbury or North Bay. There’s a real need out here.”
Cannabis has been available legally in Ontario for over two years.
"Many people, especially older people and those living in rural centres, are only beginning to realize the benefits of cannabinoids like CBD, which has been seen to reduce inflammation and pain, and CBG, which is reported to help with sleep. Many older Canadians have never visited a cannabis retail store before, and we hope that the welcoming environment at EnRoute will take away some of the stigma and uncertainty."
“It’s not just about getting ‘high’,” says Cheryl. “Many of our customers are older people who suffer every day with pain and difficulty resting. Others have found cannabis supports them through anxiety and depression, but they don’t qualify for prescriptions. Because we’re small and local, we can really take the time to help people explore their options, understand this new field of products. We’re learning, too, and we learn together.”
EnRoute Cannabis is a true family affair, with Alain and his father, Guy Gaudrault, completing months of extensive renovations on the property themselves, and the whole family pitching in to keep the household running and meet all the rigorous requirements for opening a legal cannabis retail store.
“We could never have done this without Guy and Alain’s mom, Lorraine. They have supported us every step of the way,” says Cheryl.
EnRoute Cannabis soft-opened near the end of 2021 at 9154 Hwy 17, Warren with a grand opening scheduled for Saturday January 22.
