Delta council last week gave final approval for the city’s first cannabis retail store.
The rezoning application by Seed & Stone is for a non-medical cannabis dispensary at 616 Chester Road, located on Annacis Island.
The operation is to be within a 3,638-square-foot portion of an existing multi-tenant building in the industrial area.
Seed & Stone currently operates a store in Chilliwack and is expanding to Victoria and elsewhere in B.C.
Council’s approval will be forwarded to the provincial Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch where the final go-ahead is required.
The city is currently reviewing five other applications to open cannabis stores, these ones in commercial areas.
Two of the rezoning applications are for dispensaries in North Delta.
One would see a private outlet opened at the Delta Shoppers Mall at 8077 Scott Road, while the other is for a B.C. government dispensary in the Scottsdale Centre mall at 70 Avenue at Scott Road.
The three South Delta rezoning proposals for private stores include portions of existing buildings at the Tsawwassen Shopping Centre on 56 Street, the Bayside Village mall also on 56 Street and a vacant unit at Ladner Centre on Ladner Trunk Road.
All the applications are still in the public notification and detailed review stage.
Council this fall instructed staff not to accept any further applications until the five submitted have been reviewed.
Meanwhile, cannabis-related retail products such as clothing, books and other items will be available for sale at private licensed cannabis retail stores.
The province announced that, effective Nov. 26, private retailers will be allowed to sell ancillary items that have a clear link to cannabis and meet certain conditions related to health and safety.
Examples include books about cannabis and clothing or artwork featuring cannabis motifs.
The sale of items unrelated to cannabis, such as snacks and beverages that do not contain cannabis, will remain prohibited.
The rules include, among other things, ancillary items not allowed to depict a real or fictional person, animal or character or include a testimonial or endorsement.
Retailers are also not allowed to sell items that are typically associated with, or could reasonably appeal to, minors, such as children's clothing.
