British Columbia’s provincial cannabis dispensary chain plans to open the Capital Region’s second location at downtown Victoria’s Bay Centre.

 

 

BC Cannabis Stores (BCCS) is pursuing approvals to situate a dispensary within a nearly 1,800 square foot retail unit along the Bay Centre’s 600-block of Fort Street frontage. The space formerly housed a Teavana tea store.

 

In a written submission to the City of Victoria, BC Cannabis Stores says it selected the Bay Centre primarily for its presence as an already heavily trafficked retail hub with “strong anchor tenants,” near ample parking, and for being situated outside of any “sensitive use buffers established under the current [cannabis-related] City Policy.”

 

BCCS further states that “unlike liquor stores, minors will not be permitted inside BC Cannabis Stores, even if they are accompanied by a parent or guardian,” a policy that underpins the chain’s commitment to keep cannabis products out of the hands of youth.

 

The application also identifies a ventilation and filtration system will be incorporated into the unit in order to reduce or eliminate odours, and up to eight staff, including a manager, are envisioned to work out of the store.

 

Should permission for the application be granted, the downtown Victoria BCCS outlet will join an upcoming storefront at Saanich’s Uptown Shopping Centre.

 

The Saanich and Victoria locations could become be the sixth and seventh, respectively, to open on the Island in addition to existing outlets in Campbell River, Courtenay, Parksville, Port Alberni and Nanaimo.

 

Meanwhile a proposal by Tokyo Smoke, a private chain of dispensaries operated by cannabis giant Canopy Growth Corporation, is making its way through the application process in pursuit of approvals for a store at Saanich’s Tuscany Village Shopping Centre. C

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