The first physical BC Cannabis Store location in Greater Victoria could be located at Uptown Shopping Centre in Saanich.
Members of Saanich council have unanimously approved the BC Liquor Distribution Branch proposal to operate a non-medical cannabis store at Uptown after confirming that the property owner supports the decision.
See also: Vancouver Island’s first government-run BC Cannabis Store opened today (PHOTOS)
“I personally am very pleased that the first non-medicinal cannabis retail store is potentially going to be run by the province,” said councillor Colin Plant during a council meeting on Monday.
“I also do think that putting it inside of the Uptown precinct is a good place given the distance from all of the schools.”
Upon vote, the motion to take this matter to a public hearing was unanimously approved by council. The date of this hearing will be determined at a later date.
The proposed store would be around 3,410 square feet in size, of which half is expected to be for retail use while the other half would be dedicated to office and administrative work.
According to the proposal, the BC Cannabis Store at Uptown would employ approximately 12 staff members with wages starting at $21 per hour with benefits and pension eligibility as provincial employees.
It would potentially be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. A model of the proposed location shows that the store would be on the second floor of the shopping complex, placed near Whole Foods.
Vancouver Island’s first government-run BC Cannabis Store first opened in June 2019 in Campbell River.
