Photo: The Canadian Press

Anyone hoping to get into the cannabis business in Kelowna will pay a pretty penny to do so.

City council Monday approved a licensing structure that will put back any prospective retailer nearly $19,000 in fees before making any renovations or opening the door.

The city had previously set a rezoning application fee of $9,450 just to be considered for a licence to sell.

A yearly business licence will now cost $9,465 on top of that, with an $8,000 yearly renewal fee.

"Staff have set a comprehensive proposed licence fee schedule to address community impacts arising from the development of a cannabis retail sales process, the review of each application, its licensing approvals, and to help offset projected community enforcement impacts of consumption," licensing manager Greg Wise told council.

The business licence is much higher than the $5,000 charged in Kamloops, Vernon and Penticton, but far less than the $20,000 charged in Nelson and $30,000 in the City of Vancouver.

The fees will be reviewed in two years.

Coun. Charlie Hodge voted against the business licence cost.

Hodge called the fees outrageous, saying the city is using this "as a cash cow."

Wise also proposed four different cannabis business licence types:

• Cannabis counselling establishment - a business providing counselling on cannabis and its uses.
• Cannabis-related business - providing services related to promotion, usage, accessories or assistance with federal and provincial regulation navigation.
• Retail sales - store that displays, sells or offers for sale cannabis, cannabis oils, and seeds.
• Retail accessory store - a business that sells cannabis-related products, but not cannabis products.

The city has received 41 applications for cannabis-related storefront businesses. Those applications will be scored over the coming weeks, with those at the top of the list getting the first crack at having their specific property rezoned by council.

Retail stores are not expected to open in the city until late spring or early summer.