Cannabis users, supporters, and critics aired their opinions at a city meeting to discuss the retail sale of weed.
More than two dozen people spoke to city council about retail cannabis sales at yesterday’s committee of the whole meeting.
City staff say now that it has been legalized, it is no different from cigarettes or alcohol, and should be sold wherever business owners choose to locate.
The City of Port Alberni has one application for a retail cannabis store, and it is for a Provincial Government run store to be located at the Pacific Rim Mall.
David Mills, the Vancouver Island Property Manager for Northwest Properties, says they would welcome a government cannabis store at their Port Alberni plaza, just as they did at their shopping mall in Kamloops.
Mills said his company is also in talks with the City of Nanaimo and Campbell River as BC Cannabis shops are looking to open on their properties in those island cities too.
Mayor Sharie Minions said the issue polarized the last council, but she hopes the new council will work together now that cannabis is legal.
Minions said council will bring yesterday’s discussions to their next meeting of council and hopes to have a plan in place as soon as possible.