A second government cannabis store in Kamloops has now opened its doors.
Liquor Distribution Branch communications officer Kate Bilney says the new store is in the Northills Shopping Centre on Fortune Drive.
“So this is actually only our second store, so our two BC Cannabis Stores are actually located in the City of Kamloops. We’ve got a couple stores coming up for Cranbrook and Campbell River, and some additional locations will be open before the end of the year.”
Bilney credited Kamloops city staff having framework in place for retail cannabis ahead of federal legalization as a reason why the only two government stores open so far are in the Tournament Capital.
One private retail cannabis store is only in Kamloops while more than a dozen wait for a provincial license. Bilney says the LDB is not involved in the province’s process for approving licenses.
Meanwhile, at least one Kamloops councillor is concerned that private cannabis retailers in the city have so far been left behind.
Mike O’Reilly says a number of retailers have spent tens of thousands of dollars to pay their lease but haven’t made a penny as they wait for a provincial license.
“It’s disappointing, and it’s not a win for business, not a win to reduce the crime of the marijuana trade. This is a win for government and that’s disappointing. I mean we have over 16 applications that have been approved by the city of Kamloops,” O’Reilly says.
“These entrepreneurs have signed a lease upwards of nine months ago, and they are paying four, six, seven thousand dollars a month in lease and they are still waiting. And that’s enough to sink a small business that’s trying to get started, and it’s extremely frustrating for these small businesses.”
While the LDB has credited hard work by Kamloops city staff as a reason why it has two stores here, O’Reilly sees the irony that private retailers are now behind the eight-ball.
He says the government stores opening first mean that they are getting an upper-hand on small businesses with private stores waiting to open.