Don’t count on more than one legal recreational cannabis store to open its doors in B.C. on federal legalization day next month.
The B.C. government has said the opening of new cannabis stores “won’t happen overnight” on Oct. 17, when the federal Cannabis Act comes into force. But a survey of local governments and cannabis consultants reveals it may actually take up to 18 months before potential operators have trudged through the rigorous process of municipal rezoning, community consultation and approval for their shops.
B.C.’s framework for legalization includes government and private stores stocked with wholesale cannabis from the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch, as well as a website through which people can order products from government warehouses. With a month left until legalization, only the online platform and a single government store — in Kamloops — are confirmed to be up and running on day one.
Top photo courtesy of Adobe Stock
