Delta council on Monday agreed to advance three new applications to open cannabis retail stores.
Noting it’s still early in the process, council voted in favour of a staff recommendation to forward the applications to the public notification and a detailed review stage.
The rezoning proposals include portions of the existing buildings at the Tsawwassen Shopping Centre on 56 Street, the Bayside Village mall also on 56 Street and a unit at Ladner Centre on Ladner Trunk Road.
The application by Queensborough Cannabis Co. for a dispensary at the Tsawwassen Shopping Centre, as well as two application from Platinum Projects, on behalf of Inspired Cannabis Co., for stores at Ladner Centre and Bayside Village, were submitted in August.
The largest of the three would be the store at the Tsawwassen Shopping Centre which would be almost 1,900 square feet.
The city had already received two other applications for stores in North Delta, having earlier this summer given preliminary approval for another dispensary on Annacis Island.
The city currently does not have specific location criteria for cannabis dispensaries because the use is prohibited in all zones, but applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. They will be considered on a number of factors including their proximity to sensitive areas such as parks and schools.
Council last month agreed to instruct staff not to accept any further applications until the ones already submitted have been reviewed.
