Langford girds for marriage of pot, liquor stores

The City of Langford is limiting the concentration of liquor stores in the municipality, in anticipation that marijuana might be distributed through that type of business.

Mayor Stew Young said council adopted a bylaw amendment that would prevent stand-alone liquor stores from opening within 800 metres of an existing one, in part because he believes the province may decide to allow marijuana sales through liquor stores. “The province gets to decide how distribution works, so I’m just preparing myself and the city,” Young said.

If the province marries marijuana and alcohol distribution, the city will be in a better position to limit the number of facilities distributing, he said. While he said he recognizes that marijuana is used for medicinal purposes, he said residents have expressed an interest in limiting the number of distributors in the city.

“Loud and clear, the public has said they don’t want to see pot stores on every corner of Langford taking away the other services,” Young said.

The rule would apply to standalone liquor stores, but not retail stores that also sell alcohol — for example, the Real Canadian Superstore. Existing liquor stores located closer than 800 metres to one another would not be affected.

Langford is delaying defining zoning or issuing business licences to marijuana dispensaries until federal legislation legalizing the sale of marijuana comes into effect next year.

Other municipalities, such as Victoria, have moved forward with allowing marijuana distribution. On April 13, Trees Dispensary became the first cannabis retailer to be legally rezoned under the city’s new rules.