Fort St. John cannabis store supports one-kilometre restriction on cannabis businesses

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — A local cannabis store is raising its support for a one-kilometre zone restriction on cannabis stores being considered by the province. 

During the March 9th meeting, the City of Fort St. John council reviewed a letter from Hive Cannabis on 100th Avenue.

Dr. Neil Rockerbie, the owner and an addictions specialist, wrote to express his support for one of the possible new market controls the provincial government’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch was floating to municipalities across the province. 

Specifically, this change would see the one-kilometre setback restrict how close liquor stores can be to one another applied to cannabis stores. 

“Since legalization, legal cannabis retailers in B.C. have faced ongoing challenges related to retail oversaturation from provincial government stores, unfair competition from the illegal market and a lack of consistent, province-wide regulation,” Dr. Rockerbie said. 

Dr. Rockerbie stated the change would address the industry’s issues and “bring long-term benefits for both industry and municipalities.” 

During the council meeting, Councillor Trevor Bolin inquired as to whether the province had approached Fort St. John about this change, and Mayor Lilia Hansen confirmed the city had contacted the province about it approximately six months ago, “asking for direction.”

Bolin and Councillor Byron Stewart commented that the change would affect the city’s zoning and could also affect existing cannabis businesses within one kilometre of each other. 

As the letter was received in a council information package, and the legislative responsibility lies with the province, no decisions were made by the City of Fort St. John council.