Eighteen of Victoria’s roughly 40 marijuana dispensaries have applied for a rezoning with the City of Victoria, according to municipal planning documents. 

 

As part of a regulatory regime introduced last fall, dispensary operators seeking a license to sell marijuana in the Capital City are required to undergo a formal rezoning process to determine their eligibility as a cannabis retailer and to scrutinize their retail environment.

 

The most notable rule restricts storefronts from opening within 200 meters of one another or within 200 meters of a school zone, a restriction that is expected to force out approximately one-third of the City’s dispensaries currently situated too close to their competitors. 

 

Applicants will be expected to foot a $7,500 rezoning fee, plus a $5,000 fee for a business license sanctioning storefront distribution. Wholesalers or marijuana storage facilities will be charged $500 for a license and will not be bound by the 200 meter rule nor be required to apply for a rezoning.

 

The new regulations also prohibit the sale of marijuana to minors, limit operating hours to the hours of 7AM through 8PM, and bar the consumption of marijuana within dispensaries. Several security-related requirements will be mandated to mitigate safety concerns surrounding the distribution of marijuana in a traditional retail environment.

 

The first pot shop to formally seek municipal approvals was Leaf Compassion Cannabis Dispensary in the 900-block of Yates Street. Operators submitted their application in-tandem with the City of Victoria’s September 26th adoption of the new regulations. If approved, the dispensary will be considered ‘ground zero’ for the 200 meter proximity rule.

 

Although an application deadline for existing operators has yet to come into effect, the City of Victoria will be imposing a date by which all applications must be received. C

 

Below is a list of retail locations with active marijuana dispensary rezoning applications currently before the City of Victoria:

1. 732 Tyee Road
2. 1725 Cook Street
3. 1601 Douglas Street
4. 1402 Douglas Street
5. 2616-2622 Douglas Street
6. 695 Alpha Street
7. 2714 Quadra Street
8. 512 Yates Street
9. 608 Esquimalt Road
10. 1010 Cook Street
11. 475 Gorge Road East
12. 851 Johnson Street
13. 603 Gorge Road East
14. 1040 North Park Street
15. 546 Yates Street
16. 2610 Rock Bay Avenue
17. 3055 Scott Street
18. 950 Yates Street