The Squamish Chief editorial team has selected 10 top themes, events and issues for the year in our coverage. This story is one in a series of those.
While cannabis legalization officially came into effect in 2018, it was only in the last few months that it’s become a tangible reality here in town.
On Sept. 30, Sky High Cannabis became Squamish’s first provincially-approved dispensary.
It had been a long time coming.
Since legalization, all cannabis retailers in B.C. are required to get licensed by the province’s Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. While some stores chose to operate before getting a provincial licence, it opened them up to the possibility of being shut down by authorities.
With the province’s blessing, Sky High became the only dispensary that could operate without fear of closure.
The remaining three dispensaries in Squamish haven’t been as lucky.
Mountain Herb Collective shut its doors for undisclosed reasons.
In the beginning of November, 99 North and Grass Roots Medicinal were shut down by authorities, and officers from the province’s Community Safety Unit seized the product in the stores.
Bryan Raiser, the owner of 99 North, applied more than a year ago to the province to have a licensed shop. His was the first cannabis dispensary in Squamish to apply for a license, he said.
He has yet to hear back, despite repeated requests for information about his application process.
99 North was the first cannabis dispensary to operate in Squamish, and has done so for years with permission from the municipality. However, it has never received the go-ahead from the province.
It’s unclear what will happen with 99 North and Grass Roots. There haven’t been cases where dispensaries have opened following a CSU closure notice.
As of the beginning of December, Raiser said the doors to his business remain shut.
The same appears to apply for Grass Roots.
Nathan Lidder, the lawyer for that store’s owners, told The Chief that he and his clients are still meeting and talking about what the plan will be going forward. The store will remain closed for the foreseeable future, he said.
Store owner Chad Jackett told The Chief in an email: “We are awaiting our retail license that was applied for over a year ago. Unfortunately, [the] government cannot tell us how long that will take. And unfortunately, that is not going to help our medicinal patients once we get our retail license.”
