VANCOUVER – The City of Vancouver is going to court in a bid to shut down medical marijuana stores that continue to operate illegally.
A statement from the city says injunctions were filed Tuesday to force the closure of 17 stores that have remained open without a business licence.
Vancouver developed regulations for marijuana dispensaries last year and began enforcing the rules this spring, handing out $250-a-day fines to shops that flouted orders to close.
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Enforcement officers have handed out almost 250 bylaw violation tickets so far, and 55 stores continue to operate despite being ordered to shut down.
Twenty-one other dispensaries are currently going through the permit process and the business licences for three compassion clubs are under review.
The first business licence for a retail medical marijuana store was granted earlier this month to a shop near the University of British Columbia.