When it comes to figuring out where to put Port Coquitlam pot shops, the driving force seems to be driving.
With two applications on the docket on Tuesday, Port Coquitlam council opted to advance an application for 1760 Kingsway Avenue while halting a potential pot shop on 2342 Elgin Avenue in the city’s downtown core.
The Elgin Avenue location wasn’t appropriate, explained Mayor Brad West.
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There have been no complaints about the city’s current crop of cannabis stores, something West attributed to the selection of “highway/commercial orientated” locations.
“People are largely driving to the stores, getting their product and leaving,” West said.
Coun. Steve Darling concurred, noting most customers drive in and drive away.
“There’s no hanging out there, there’s no people that are out front,” Darling said.
While the vote was unanimous, Coun. Dean Washington offered a different opinion.
“I’m not as convinced that it’s not a good location,” he said of the Elgin application. “When you put a lot of density in the downtown, we’re trying to get people out of their cars, not into their cars.”
Given the proximity to the cannabis store at 1971 Lougheed Highway, the downtown pot shop is unnecessary, according to Coun. Nancy McCurrach.
“Until the population increases, I don’t see a need for one there. I find it redundant,” McCurrach said.
The Elgin location might be a good fit for customers who don’t drive, suggested Coun. Darrell Penner.
“Moving forward, we could look at that location. I don’t think today’s the right time,” Penner said.
West noted that council could always revise their approach in the future.
The cost to be the Boss
Dubbed Boss Cannabis, the Kingsway Avenue store would likely sell buds, oils as well as “devices designed to assist the user with inhalation,” according to correspondence from applicants Brad and Randy Doncaster.
Council heaped praise on the Doncasters, who both serve as board members of the Cat and Fiddle Care Society.
“They probably have no equal in Port Coquitlam in terms of supporting a multitude of community endeavours,” West said.
“They sponsored the junior B team my wife and I ran for 12 years,” Coun. Glenn Pollock noted.
The shop is slated to operate between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m. and to employ as many as 25 workers.
Elgin
The shop at 2342 Elgin Avenue was brought forward by the Sunderji family.
The applicant pledged to donate $100,000 over the first ten years the cannabis store is in operation to the PoCo Sports Alliance. After 10 years, the shop would donate five percent of annual profits to the alliance.
Appalled at the province
West said he was “appalled” at the province’s failure to share cannabis revenue with municipalities.
“To date, the province has received in excess of $250 million . . . of revenue from private cannabis retail outlets and has shared exactly zero dollars and zero cents with local governments,” he said.
The province is currently looking at cannabis revenue sharing over the longer term, according to a representative from the Ministry of Finance.
B.C.’s share of federal duty on cannabis was $70 for 2021/22, according to the ministry.
The province handed out $1 billion to B.C. municipalities including $9.46 million to Port Coquitlam in an effort to help deliver infrastructure projects, the ministry representative stated.
