Mayor John Tory is expressing concern over the potential for a cluster of cannabis shops in some parts in the city, particularly areas bordering municipalities that have prohibited the sale of the drug.

Last week, Toronto city council voted overwhelmingly in favour of allowing legal cannabis stores to be established in the city once the provincial government begins awarding licenses in April.

The vote came on the heels of city councils in Mississauga and Markham both voting in favour of rejecting the establishment of private cannabis retail outlets.

Speaking with reporters at an unrelated event on Tuesday morning, Tory conceded that the decision to prohibit the legal sale of marijuana in some nearby municipalities could put “more pressure on the Toronto market.”

For that reason, he said that the city should be given some say in where retail cannabis shops can be located.

“I think there needs to be an adequate number to make sure that the black market doesn’t continue to dominate out of necessity, but I am also concerned about exactly where they are located. We don’t want six sitting in a row on the south side of Steeles Avenue because the 905 doesn’t have any and we don’t want them near schools and community centres and other places like that,” he said.

In addition to approving the establishment of cannabis retail outlets, Toronto city council also voted to ask the province for the ability to have some role in determining their locations.

Tory told reporters on Tuesday that although he has not heard back from provincial officials regarding that request at this point, he said that he is “hopeful” that they will be receptive.

“I think it is a reasonable request and I think it is a reasonable request particularly in the context of the City of Toronto, which is a big, complex place that actually sits as a bit of an island surrounded by several municipalities that have said they are not going to opt in,” he said.

Municipal councils in Ontario have until Jan. 22 to decide whether to accept or reject the presence of private marijuana retail outlets in their communities. This would be the only chance for municipalities to opt out.

The province has said that it will cap the initial number of licenses for private retail outlets at 25 and issue more in “phases.”