Government cannabis store proposed at Park and Tilford

The BC Liquor Distribution Branch is proposing a pot shop in the Park and Tilford Shops and Garden. The City of North Vancouver council will vote on the rezoning application for the BC Cannabis store that will be located at the north east corner of the Park and Tilford Shops and Garden.

The 3,930 square feet building will be located in the corner of the plaza, next to the existing vehicle access, and along the public transit route and walking distance to other commercial businesses in the area.

The city hasn’t yet received any building plans, but the liquor branch has indicated the building will align with other commercial buildings on the site, especially those along the Brooksbank Avenue frontage. The proposed entrance would be orientated toward the south to provide off-street parking at the front of the store, and to provide easier access to pedestrian traffic along Brooksbank Avenue and from the remaining shopping mall site.

Staff will work with the applicant to ensure it meets the criteria of cannabis specific storefront to dissuade minors from entering the store, according to a staff report to be presented to the council. The proposed BC Cannabis site is outside of the 100 metre radius of schools and other sensitive uses and it is the only application CNV has received from the east part of the CNV, where the city will allow only one such store.

Keeping cannabis out of the hand of minors will be a top priority of the BC Cannabis store, according to Michael Tan, executive director of the BC Cannabis operations for the province. Unlike the liquor store, minors will not be permitted to enter cannabis retail stores, even if they are accompanied by a parent or a guardian, he added.

The Park and Tilford store will be the second provincial cannabis store being proposed in City of North Vancouver. BC Liquor Distribution Branch also plans to open another store at 1200 Lonsdale Avenue, in a ground floor unit in the Lonsdale Place building, located on the north east corner of Lonsdale Avenue and East 12^th Street.

The province has been rolling out stores in cities across the province. It has received approval to open stores in Campbell River, Williams Lake, Cranbrook, Terrace, Salmon Arm, and Fort St John, as well as Nanaimo and Burnaby. City of Kamloops has also approved applications for two stores to be established in Kamloops, along with a store that opened last year.

Meanwhile, CNV council will also vote on a rezoning application for five private cannabis stores in different parts of the city. City Cannabis is proposing at store at 725 West 15^th Street, while The Herb Co. is proposing a store at 1717 Lonsdale Avenue. The 1^st Cannabis company plans to open a store at 221 West 1^st street, and Lonsdale Cannabis plans to open a store at 315 Lonsdale Avenue.