Cannabis production facility gets green light despite operating for months without Coquitlam business licence

They’re going to do what they’ve been doing, only now they’re allowed to do it.

That was Coquitlam council’s verdict Monday on a Clipper Street cannabis company that had been operating without a municipal business licence since July 2023.

“If we say ‘yes’ to you today, are we saying to anybody else that, you know what? Coquitlam’s easy. Ignore their bylaws,” said Coun. Brent Asmundson.

However, Asmundson was ultimately persuaded by cannabis company proprietor Shaun Ashworth’s history in Coquitlam.

“If it wasn’t for his reputation I probably wouldn’t be approving this,” he said.

Ashworth, who is also the president of a longtime Coquitlam packaging business, acknowledged his mistake.

“It was wrong,” he said. “I should’ve known better.”

In January 2023, Green Mile Original Ltd. cannabis company informed the city they were planning to apply for a cannabis cultivation licence.

City staff informed Green Mile the business was too close to a residential area. However, Green Mile was granted a Health Canada licence in June and began operations shortly afterward.

“We thought that was enough to allow us to ramp up to get ready,” Ashworth explained.

That ramping up involved getting set to run the micro-processing operation. However, with no business licence or bank account, the company wasn’t doing any business, according to Ashworth.

“We’re kind of in purgatory,” he added.

The fact that 10 months elapsed between the time Green Mile was told they needed a business licence and when they applied for one was too great a stumbling block for Coun. Robert Mazzarolo.

“You knew in January you needed a business licence,” he said. “To continue to say ‘We did not know’ . . . it doesn’t hold water.”

“I’ve been operating a business here for over 35 years,” Ashworth replied. “I know I should know better but I feel I’ve given a lot to the city and I made an honest mistake.”

Located south of United Boulevard in an industrial strata complex near Fraser Mills, the company is about 100 metres from land slated for residential development. It’s also about 170 metres from lots identified as potential locations for new schools.

“The school is not built and people haven’t moved in,” said Coun. Craig Hodge.

Given that Ashworth acknowledged the mistake, the key question for council is whether this is the right area for a cannabis cultivation company and the industrial area is a good fit, according to Hodge.

While councillors described being disappointed and dismayed, the majority also opted to support Ashworth’s application.

Six months of non-compliance shouldn’t supersede 35 years of history in Coquitlam, Coun. Dennis Marsden concluded.

“We do have applicants that have a history here of adhering to bylaws and operating professionally and I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt,” he said.

It’s a mistake to grant an exception based on who broke the rules, Mazzarolo responded.

“We start talking about . . . what rules apply to you because of who you are, we’ve got bigger problems,” he said.

Mayor Richard Stewart, who also supported the application, said he would make his decision strictly based on use of the land.

“I’m going to consider this as though you’re not there now,” he told Ashworth. “I can’t think of a significant negative implication of having this particular business in the location on Clipper.”

Coun. Teri Towner disagreed, emphasizing the need for some type of consequences.

“I’m not comfortable rewarding, enabling, or turning a blind eye,” she said. “I think I would be OK knowing that there would be some consequences, a nice donation to a good cause in the community, or a fine that was going to free swimming for kids all summer.”

Council voted in favour of the variance with Towner and Mazzarolo opposed.

Green Mile cultivates and processes cannabis. No retail sales are permitted. The total cannabis allowed in the building is capped at 600 kilograms.