The City of Surrey may soon lose its status as one of a small handful of B.C. communities without legal cannabis stores.
The city is considering allowing up to 12 retail shops, with a maximum of two in each of its six communities, and is asking the public to weigh in on a proposed draft framework to guide location and selection criteria.
Surrey Coun. Doug Elford said the city has been closely monitoring the experiences other municipalities have had with legal pot shops, and hasn’t observed any major problems.
2:06 Report asks for cannabis shops in Surrey
“It’s not the devil’s lettuce as it used to be known,” he said.
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“The fact of the matter is many people still go to the black or the grey market, when they should be able to go to a regulated store with regulated cannabis where it is (quality controlled) and you know you are getting product that’s not harmful.”
Elford said if the policy is approved, would-be retailers will be closely vetted, and will need to go through stringent provincial licensing protocols.
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