Non-medical cannabis retailers in West Kelowna are one step closer to fruition.
The City of West Kelowna gave their final stamp of approval to the five legally accepted pot retailers in the city. City staff have sent their recommendation on the five shops to the British Columbia Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.
The province receives the city’s assurance that the select shops have met all the local bylaw requirements.
“The baton is passed over to the province now,” Coun. Rick de Jong said.
Cheeba Cheebas, Flora, Prime Cannabis, Spirit Leaf and Canndara were given the official and final city reference at the West Kelowna city council meeting Tuesday afternoon.
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The province will work to finalize the application process for the five prospective west side shops, which include shop owners’ background checks, employment history, business logistics and more.
The city does not yet have an exact time frame for when the shops will begin operating, but speculate that stores could be opening before the year’s end.
“I look forward to a new era of cannabis in West Kelowna,” Coun. Doug Findlater said.
While West Kelowna awaits the province’s final word, the city’s ongoing 2017 legal battle with two closed cannabis dispensaries was resolved earlier this week.
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