On December 6th, there could be good news for some applicants looking to get temporary permits to run pot dispensaries in Penticton.
At their next meeting, mayor and council plan to consider seven applications for temporary use permits to operate marijuana dispensaries.
This comes after some dispensaries have continued to operate in the city without a licence.
“We’ve cancelled their business license in the past, some of them have chosen to operate despite being fined just under $17,000,” Penticton mayor Andrew Jakubeit said.
The owner of Herbal Green Apothecary, Jukka Laurio, said he’s happy about the prospect of getting some more legitimacy to his business, which used to operate out of Rush in and Finish Café.
While seven pot shops, all but one located downtown, might seem like a lot, city planner Blake Laven said it’s not a high number of such shops per capita, compared to other B.C. communities.
However, until pot is legalized in this country, the Downtown Penticton Association (DPA) isn’t behind the idea of these shops operating the way they are.
“The DPA cannot really endorse or support any kind of illegal business going into a facility or downtown Penticton area,” DPA executive director Lynn Allin said.
Of the seven applicants seeking temporary use permits, Laven said three are currently operating dispensaries.
Three others have leases on downtown storefront properties, but aren’t open for business while one other shut down after the city intervened.
If granted, the dispensaries would have 18-month permits and conditions would have to be met.
Some of those conditions include having a business license issued by the city, having no cannabis products visible from outside of the store, no one under the age of 21 would be allowed in the store and if approved by council, a $5,000 fee would be associated with the business or nonprofit license issued.
And if all goes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government has planned, marijuana will be legalized in this country by the time those permits expire.