Johnston Road is becoming a “cannabis corridor” after a fourth retail cannabis store was approved by the regional district to move forward in the development process.
Green Coast Cannabis is applying to open across the highway from the Alberni Liquor Store, who have also been approved to proceed with a retail cannabis shop.
The two businesses will be just 85 metres apart, which raised some concerns within the ACRD’s board of directors yesterday.
The other two cannabis shops along the corridor are within city boundaries with a government store planned for Pacific Rim Mall, and a privately-operated retail cannabis shop at the bottom of Johnston.
Applications for cannabis retail stores are flooding in to the city and regional district as entrepreneurs clamor for a piece of an already established market.
The regional district process calls for applications to go through a public hearing process, while Port Alberni city council is approving applications to move forward, allowing the market weed out the weaker stores.
