Despite receiving three letters in opposition, Port Coquitlam council today, April 16, rolled through a rezoning bid for a cannabis shop on the city’s northern side.
Council unanimously voted in favour of third reading and adoption following a public hearing that drew no speakers, and a special council meeting. Coun. Darrell Penner was not present.
The approved bid now allows Boss Cannabis to set up a second shop in the municipality; its inaugural outlet in PoCo opened along Kingsway Avenue last year.
Bruce Irvine, PoCo’s director of planning, told council the new cannabis store will be one of six ground-floor unit in an older strip mall, located at 101-3377 Coast Meridian Rd. — about a block from Minnekhada Middle, École Des Pionniers-De-Maillardville and the Hyde Creek Recreation Centre, but still within the city’s policy distance guidelines.
As well, the outlet would be close to several childcare facilities, including one in the Tri-City Canaan Church and two across Coast Meridian Road at Prairie Avenue.
The proximity to the cannabis shop, as well as potential loitering, was brought up by the letter writers.
“Coast Meridian Road is a common route for many middle and high school students who commute daily to their respective schools,” a resident wrote to council.
“Placing a cannabis retail store at the proposed location raises concerns about exposing these students to potentially inappropriate influences during their regular commute.”
Still, Irvine said the municipality hasn’t had any negative issues with the five other cannabis shops. And he recommended PoCo’s Cannabis Establishment Policy, adopted in 2019, be updated to relax the guidelines.
“It’s legal. There’s nothing wrong with it,” Coun. Steve Darling said after noting city hall hasn’t had any complaints about the pot shops.
Coun. Glenn Pollock called the concerns voiced by the letter writers “overblown” while Mayor Brad West praised the applicants for their corporate record in the community.
