The City of Surrey has issued a request for proposals for businesses and individuals interested in submitting an Expressions of Interest/Statements of Qualifications indicating their interest and qualifications to undertake the retail sale of cannabis and cannabis related products.
Until now, the city has prohibited the retail sale of cannabis, although residents can purchase products from other jurisdictions using home delivery or go to one of three stores on the Delta side of Scott Road, including a BC Cannabis Store in the Scottsdale Centre mall.
Surrey has established a framework for regulating cannabis retail stores that initially limits the number of store locations up to two retail stores per designated community:
Whalley/City Centre, Guildford, Fleetwood, Newton, South Surrey and Cloverdale. They would be only permitted within in areas designated City Centre, Town Centre or Commercial in the Official Community Plan and properties within certain zoning designations.
“The City recognizes that there is a desire by some of the City’s residents to be able to purchase cannabis and cannabis related products from local retail businesses. The City also recognizes that there are other considerations to providing the retail sales of cannabis and cannabis related products for use within the City’s boundaries…” the city explains in its request for proposals.
The restrictions include, among other things, a minimum of 200-metres from sensitive uses, as measured from the front door of the store to the nearest property line of the sensitive use location.
The evaluation of submissions will be undertaken on behalf of the city by an Evaluation Team, the city notes, adding any submission that is not rejected upon the completion of the initial review will be deemed an eligible submission and will be considered for the final evaluation phase.
The City of Richmond also bans the retail sale of cannabis, including medical marijuana.
Unlike Surrey, Richmond council has indicated no interest to consider allowing them.
The City of Delta, meanwhile, currently has eight cannabis stores spread out across Ladner, Tsawwassen, North Delta and industrial areas.
This May, council granted preliminary approval for a ninth dispensary in an industrial area in the 7300-block of River Road.
The regulation of non-medical cannabis retail stores is overseen by the province’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch through the issuance of licenses. A proposal must be supported by the host local government.
Prior the federal government legalizing cannabis in 2018, Delta council prohibited dispensaries and processing, except where approved by council on a case-by-case basis.
In late 2022, Delta council agreed to impose a moratorium on accepting and reviewing any further applications beyond the nine that were on the books.
