Pot shops closed - for now

Photo: Rob Gibson

While the province of B.C. has finally laid out a plan for marijuana once it's legalized, federal officials are now signaling that Bill C-45 will only come into law two to three months after the bill is adopted by Parliament.

That means legalization may be pushed past the planned date of July 1 because the bill would have to be passed in May.

In Kelowna, all but a couple of dispensaries are closed following a deadline issued by the city. Be Kind Okanagan Growers & Compassion Club remains open. Management has not responded to requests by Castanet for information. But, other dispensaries that have chosen to remain open are being fined.

The newly released provincial guidelines indicate it will be legal to sell marijuana in public and private stores, but not where liquor or tobacco is sold.

One of the lawyers representing a local dispensary says he's advising clients to comply with municipal regulations and any enforcement action.

The theory is the city will have input into which business get recreational sales licences from the province, and those which have actively defied the law will put themselves at a disadvantage.

That's to say nothing of the fines that are piling up by the day the longer dispensaries defy the bylaw.