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BC  

Unpaid pot fines top $1M

Unpaid fines issued to unlicensed Vancouver marijuana dispensaries have topped $1 million.

Bylaw officers have issued 2,004 tickets worth $1.2 million, the city says.

Spokesman Jag Sandhu says the city has collected only $160,000 of that money. 

Coun. Kerry Jang says dispensary are simply refusing to pay.

“It’s gotten to the point where we’ve had to file court injunctions,” he told CTV. “The problem that we’ve had is that the courts haven’t made time to hear the injunctions.”

Some have been languishing for more than a year. But it's not about the money, he says.

“For us, the real win is when these illegal pot shops close.”

Vancouver began regulating dispensaries in 2015, and the fine for operating without a licence is $1,000.

Out of 176 applications, 10 licences have been granted. 

“Marijuana does have a place in Vancouver … but it has to be sold according to some rules,” Jang said. 

– with files from CTV Vancouver



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