Cannabis requests trickle in

Photo: The Canadian Press

Applications are finally starting to trickle in for the retail sale of non-medical cannabis in the Central Okanagan.

Both West Kelowna and Lake Country have each received a single referral application from the province for a retail operation.

Lake Country's director of community development Mark Koch says the referral is for a location at Turtle Bay Crossing.

He says the applicant will require a variance, because the location falls within 400 metres of a daycare.

However, Koch says the daycare is running with a temporary use permit, and is not permanent.

He says various departments within the municipality will have to review and comment on the application before it makes its way to council. Koch expects that could take a few months.

In West Kelowna, one application has also been forwarded from the province for consideration.

West Kelowna has set a deadline of Jan. 2 for the receipt of applications. At that point, it will begin going through each one before they reach the council table.

A maximum of four retail stores will be allowed in West Kelowna, two in downtown Westbank and two in the Boucherie area.

In Kelowna, the city says some applications have started coming in, however, details aren't yet available.

Kelowna is accepting retail applications until the end of November for the first wave of consideration. They will then be scored, with the top scoring applications getting the first crack at going before council.