Is New Westminster poised to become the Cannabis Capital of the region? Some folks thinks so.
Following public hearings on Monday night, city council supported two cannabis retail stores in New West – the Queensborough Cannabis Co. at 540 Ewen Ave. and Maple Leaf Greenery at 71 Sixth St. That brings the number of cannabis stores approved to date up to five, as council has previously approved private stores at 532 Sixth St. (Muse Cannabis) and 710 12th St. (Westcanna), as well as a public store in Queensborough Landing.
A sixth store – the Herb Co. Cannabis Store at 451 East Columbia St. in Sapperton – has yet to be considered at a public hearing. No timeline has been proposed for a public hearing, as the city has not heard back from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch regarding their financial integrity and security checks.
About 20 people spoke out about the private store that’s proposed in Queensborough, with supporters and opponents evenly divided.
“It’s not the right spot,” said Frank Bordignon.
Opponents said the site isn’t an appropriate location for a cannabis store saying it’s in the middle of a residential area, is located across the street from a daycare and is close to a park, and lacks parking. With city council already having approved a cannabis store at Queensborough Landing shopping centre, some suggested one store is enough for their community.
More than 500 people made submissions to the city in opposition to the private store, which would be permitted to be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week.
Proponents, however, argued the store is in an appropriate location and poses no risk to children or other community members. They said cannabis is legal and it’s better for people to buy products from a well-managed, regulated store than on the black market.
Laura Ranalletta said “cannabis has always been a very taboo subject” but it’s now legal. She said she knows people who use cannabis to relieve the pain associated with cancer, fibromyalgia and anxiety, to manage the symptoms of ADHD and to help them sleep.
“There are people within our community who have a bona fide need to use cannabis,” she said. “They shouldn’t have to drive a million miles away to somebody else’s neighbourhood who has this problem. Because it’s not a problem. It’s a business that is controlled.”
Several speakers said they support the proposal because the store is being operated by the Basran family, which has strong ties to the community and has operated Frankie G’s in Queensborough.
“With our 20 years of experience in the liquor business, we felt that getting into the cannabis business would be a good fit for us,” said Calvin Basran, who spoke on behalf of the applicant, the Queensborough Cannabis Co. Ltd. “Knowing the area very well and understanding our customers’ needs, we felt 540 Ewen Ave. would be the perfect location for a cannabis retail store. This location has met all the city’s requirements and bylaws for a cannabis store. It also met all the distance requirements away from parks, schools and vulnerable populations.”
Ryan Young, who has lived in Port Royal for nearly 10 years, said he has been using medical marijuana for years after suffering a spinal cord injury. He said he currently has to travel more than two hours to a store to buy cannabis.
“For me it would be a huge convenience. I could wheel to it without having to drive,” said Young, who uses a wheelchair. “It’s accessible. It’s easy to get to. I can just wheel.”
Chit Vyas said he has nothing against a cannabis shop, but doesn’t think this location is appropriate because a store has already been approved in a commercial area of Queensborough. Several Port Royal residents spoke in favour of the Ewen Avenue location, while several people living close to the site were opposed.
“Take this shop to Port Royal, and we will not talk about it,” Vyas said to cheers from residents seated in city hall’s foyer.
A mom of two young children said she’s not at all concerned about the location of the store in Queensborough.
“I am not concerned for my children at all. My kids will learn exactly what cannabis is, much the same as they will learn what alcohol is, what tobacco is,” she said. “My children are almost four and seven – they understand that adults consume substances that they cannot. … It’s really up to the parents to educate their children and educate them about what the dispensaries are.”
In a five to one vote, council supported the application. Council members cited the track record of the applicant and the ability for the store to provide a regulated product so people don’t need to buy cannabis on the black market.
Councillors Chinu Das and Chuck Puchmayr opposed the Queensborough location.
Puchmayr said the location will draw customers from Richmond, Delta and South Burnaby. While he has great respect for the operator, he believes a better location than one situated across the street from a daycare could be found.
“I think putting two stores in one community is excessive,” he said.
Coun. Patrick Johnstone said he understands there are people who aren’t happy with the direction the city is going with cannabis retail store and are fearful about the legalization of cannabis.
“I hear those fears, but I am convinced the legalization and the regulation of the industry is the best way to address those fears,” he said.
Following a public hearing, council unanimously approved the Maple Leaf Greenery proposal in downtown New West.
Jana Howardson, the applicant, said Maple Leaf Greenery isn’t a dispensary, but an education-based, regulated retail cannabis store. She said people are already buying cannabis from “a guy who got it from a guy who got it from someone else” so there is no way to regulate that or know what practices were done to the product.
“I’d like to be an education based store where you are comfortable sending your nana to,” she said.
New West resident David Brett said it sounds like New Westminster may become the Cannabis Capital of the region.
While Brett supports cannabis use for medicinal purposes and doesn’t necessarily object to recreational use of cannabis, he said there’s a serious side to cannabis that needs to be kept in mind. He said one of his sons has schizophrenia, something be believes may have resulted from his early marijuana use.
“I think it is important as decision makers in the city that you keep in mind the serious health ramifications of cannabis use. It is not a benign substance. The dangerous of cannabis use aren’t fully known,” he said. “This is why there is a stigma around cannabis.”
