COMOX, B.C. – A recreational cannabis retailer is looking at putting down stakes in Comox.
Coast Range Cannabis has designs on opening at 221C Church Street.
Owner and operator Sheila Rivers is looking at running the store from 9:00am to 10:00pm, seven days a week.
Rivers said the time is right to open a recreational cannabis store in the heart of Comox.
“We’re basically looking at the actual industry itself; there’s a lot of business opportunities there. As well as looking at the industry, there’s a lot of interesting factors there that really relate to health and wellness,” Rivers said.
Rivers notes that since legalization day last October, there has been a shift in the stigma that cannabis brings.
“I think there definitely has been a positive shift,” she said. “A lot of the people that we’re hearing feedback from, it’s not really a double take on ‘Oh, you’re starting a cannabis business.’ It’s really like, ‘Good for you, what a great business to be in at this time.’ (There are) lots of interest out there, for sure.”
Rivers noted that the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch has already put forward a recommendation for a license to the town.
“So we’re really at the municipal step right now which is gathering public feedback on our specific location,” she said. “The next step is to pass all the scrutiny checks from the province. It is our hope to open (in the) early fall.”
Consultation includes feedback from property owners and tenants within 75 meters of the property.
Town staff will be gathering the views of residents.
Council members can decide how they want to gather the view of residents. Options range from only seeking written comments to holding a referendum or a full public hearing, on top of the written comments.
If it opens, Coast Range Cannabis would be 257 metres from City Cannabis, which is looking to open its doors at the Comox Mall later this month.
