The District of West Vancouver is tweaking its cannabis policy two allow for one potential new store in the municipality and to cut down on the cost of business for pot shop owners.
The federal government legalized recreational cannabis in 2018 but the District of West Vancouver didn’t consider allowing stores to open locally until 2021 after creating a policy that limited the municipality to just four stores – one each in Ambleside, Dundarave, Horseshoe Bay and Taylor Way.
In December that year, council listened to pitches from 10 prospective pot proprietors who’d applied to open stores, of which council agreed to give temporary use permits to just two – Avenue Cannabis on Bellevue Avenue in Ambleside and Happy Isle Cannabis on Royal Avenue in Horseshoe Bay. Dundarave and the business area around Taylor Way never did become host to any cannabis retailers.
Following a vote by council Monday, a hypothetical fifth store could be opened in Cypress Village, though the new neighbourhood off Cypress Bowl Road is still years away from completion.
Council also opted to drastically lower the licence fee it charges cannabis shops from $5,100 per year to $300. At the time the policy was created in 2021, council wanted the fees to offset the costs of developing the cannabis rules as well as any potential enforcement that would arise from having legal cannabis nearby.
However, “there were no concerns, and there were no atypical administration or enforcement costs associated with those,” said Michelle McGuire, senior manager of planning for the district.
The vote to update the cannabis policy was unanimous with only minimal questions from council about expanding legalized cannabis to Cypress Village.
“I think it’ll be interesting to speak with the owners and see how viable they are and not overburden the market,” Coun. Sharon Thompson mentioned.
Immediately following, council took steps that would see the two existing stores, which have been operating under temporary use permits, formally rezoned for cannabis sales. Those rezonings will be subject to public hearings, which are scheduled for Oct. 21.
