Company reps have been outspoken over the delay.
“Wherever you’ve seen stores open, you’ve seen an increase in spending in the legal market and a decrease in the impact of the black market. So providing more shops is what is required to fulfill the mandate of the government,” says Winer.
“The wait was a challenge, but it helped us grow a lot.”
This will be the second Starbuds store in B.C. — the first opened in Dawson Creek.
The company has about 20 development permits in various stages, mostly in Alberta.
While part of a franchise, the Lake Country store is owned and operated by local residents Gavin Meehan and Celine Fitzgerald.
Meanwhile, the provincial government has quietly opened its second BC Cannabis Store location. Both stores are in Kamloops.
|