Council gives support to two more pot sh

Council gives support to two more pot shop applications

Apr 9, 2019 | 12:56 AM

City council has given the green light to two more cannabis retail store applications- including one for a government run pot store on 58th avenue.

At Monday’s meeting, the first application that went before council was for a pot shop located on 4200 32nd street inside the old Flaman Fitness building.

Staff said that they received three responses for the application, including a response from a woman concerned about the store’s proximity to Seaton Secondary School.

“Seaton Secondary School is 400 meters from the proposed store front, which is a two minute walk away. If you observe the corner, students wait for their peers and then cross the street together. There is around over thirty kids,” said Christina Love in a letter to the city.

The City of Vernon Crime Prevention staff also noted in the report that the area has had a long criminal history that has resulted in many calls to bylaw and the RCMP.

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But despite the concerns, council ultimately voted unanimously to support the application .

Councillor Kari Gares declared a conflict of interest because she said she helped in the purchaser’s application in acquiring the land through her job as a mortgage broker.

The proposed government run cannabis store on 58th Avenue was next on the list and brought forth differing views between members of council .

The proposed pot shop would be situated next to a private liquor store and the clothing store Penningtons.

Staff said they received zero responses for or against the proposed site.

Coun. Scott Anderson wondered about the penalties for those illegal pot shops still operating without a license and caught breaking the law.

City staff told council that fines have been imposed for pot shops operating illegally, since council approved the seven pot shop applications at last council meeting.

” The fines have been levied and are being levied and the operators of those businesses have been advised that should they continue to remain open that in addition to those fines we will proceed with court injunctions to close them,” said Kim Flick, Director of Community Development.

Flick was unable to say if the pot shops are actually paying the fines.

Councillor Scott Anderson said that the $1000 a day fines are too low and that the RCMP should be getting involved in monitoring the illegal pot shops .

He also stated that he would be voting against the proposed pot shop because of his personal views surrounding the government getting involved in business.

” I’m philosophically opposed to the government being in business when the private sector is involved so I won’t be voting for it,” he said .

That was in stark contrast to Mayor Victor Cumming who supported the proposal.

” Unlike my colleague Councillor Anderson, I think it is a good idea that the province owns the store, I think it is a good idea to create a balancing on the price that we have had on the liquor stores,” he said.

Council approved the government run pot shop 4-1.

Councillor Brian Quiring declared a conflict on interest on the proposed site and Councillor Dalvir Nahal was absent from council.

The fate of the approved pot shops now remains in the hands of the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.