The business inspector in the City of Kamloops acknowledges the process for prospective cannabis store owners is a long one.

Dave Jones points out there are several hundred applications for licenses to sell retail cannabis that have been submitted to the province.

“I think there might have been just some unreasonable expectations in applicants on how long that was going to take. I’ve been around this business for quite some time and when we did liquor licenses the normal application would take six months,” Jones says.

“Now we’re going on to a new venture, trying to eradicate a black market. So the provincial government has to do their due-diligence, do their fit-and-proper financials to make sure the right people are in business. That takes time.”

The Shore Cannabiz Shop on Tranquille Road became the first private cannabis store to open in Kamloops, when it opened a week ago today. Eleven other potential cannabis retailers  in the Tournament Capital are in a long line awaiting a sales license from the province.

The Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch has received more than 450 applications province-wide from private cannabis retailers. So far only 14 licenses have been issued.