Put pot shops farther apart, two Victoria councillors urge

Cannabis dispensaries in the city should be farther apart, say two Victoria councillors who are proposing doubling the minimum distance between shops to 400 metres from 200.

“We’re getting neighbourhoods and residents, especially the North Park residents and the downtown residents, who don’t think the 200 metres is sufficient,” said Coun. Charlayne Thornton-Joe, who with Coun. Margaret Lucas is proposing the change. “Especially downtown, they’re concerned, basically, about [having] one on every corner.”

With the 200-metre limit, the Downtown Victoria Business Association has estimated there is room for 20 to 30 cannabis retailers downtown.

The minimum distance is a guideline considered during the rezoning process and can be changed at council’s discretion.

As one of council’s downtown liaisons, Lucas has said she’s been inundated with emails from merchants worried about the numbers of potential marijuana retailers and potential problems with odours, ventilation and loitering.

Until the federal government’s new laws come into play next year, possession and retailing of marijuana remains illegal.

But Victoria was faced with so many dispensaries setting up shop, it opted to follow Vancouver’s lead in developing zoning and licensing regulations.

“There are many who think we shouldn’t be allowing them at all,” Thornton-Joe said. “But if they are going to be approved, we definitely don’t want such a proliferation and the 200 metres does seem to be a little bit close.”

Trees Dispensary at 546 Yates St. became the first cannabis retailer to be zoned and licensed to sell marijuana in April. Another application in the 500-block of Yates was turned down because it was within the 200-metre limit.

The city’s policy also recommends that no cannabis dispensary be allowed within 200 metres of a school. Thornton-Joe and Lucas are proposing no change to that distance.

Under Victoria’s business licence regulations, cannabis-related businesses must not allow individuals under 19 on the premises, allow consumption on the premises, advertise beyond minimal signage, or be open after 8 p.m. or before 7 a.m.

They must install air-filtration systems to reduce odour for neighbours, have a security plan, post health and safety warning signs and ensure the premises are only used for the sale of medical cannabis and accessory uses.

City staff have said the 200-metre policy was never intended to limit the number of cannabis shops in the city, but rather to prevent clusters of cannabis retailers or “pot blocks.”