By Ashley Legassic

Two more government cannabis stores applying to come to Kamloops

Nov 14, 2018 | 3:30 PM

KAMLOOPS — Before the end of this year, there could be up to eight more cannabis retailers approved by the City of Kamloops — including two more government-run shops.

Dave Jones is the City of Kamloops’s business licence inspector and property use coordinator. He says a space in downtown Kamloops’s Lansdowne Village is one of two locations that could be scooped up by the provincial government.

“They were looking at various locations within the City of Kamloops,” says Jones. “So the province has showed some interest in another two locations within the City of Kamloops, and Lansdowne Street is one of those two locations. As far as how many units it’s taken up, I’m not sure of the exact layout, but it would be similar to the size of the one up there on Summit Drive, so I’m expecting it to be around 2,500 square feet.”

The province has also applied for a space at the Northills Mall, Jones says, and both applications are expected to be heard by city council next week (Nov. 20). Right now, the province is securing the potential locations, but Jones says it’s likely a long ways before they open and the government won’t be given preferential treatment over private retailers.

Jones says if the two stores get approval, that will likely be the last the city will see of government-run stores. Private retailers are a different story.

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“There is obviously a very keen interest in Kamloops, and I can say that no fewer than probably 15 private stores will be also coming in front of council eventually in the next six to eight months to a year,” he says. “There’s lots of private interest as well, so Kamloops will be well supplied with cannabis from not only… the provincial side but from the private side as well.”

“I don’t think you’ll see any additional government stores within the City of Kamloops. I think there’s other communities across B.C. that have been in contact with the province that would be well suited for a provincial store in their town, so I think if you were to see the addition of two more provincial stores in Kamloops that would be it.”

Jones says the up-to-20 cannabis stores that could be coming to Kamloops in the future would be well spread out across the city, from Westsyde to Aberdeen, and Brocklehurst to Dallas.

“So there’s a good cross section, going to be a good supply for opportunity for anybody that wants to use. At this point in time we’re happy that it’s a mixed partnership between private and public.”

Jones believes the earliest either of the government stores would open would be in March, and he wouldn’t suspect either of those would open sooner than the private stores already approved by council.