Image: M. Vanden Bosch / PML / A proposal to build a liquor store at Cottonwood Centre mall near Dollarama has been deferred until several regulatory matters can be resolved.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Cottonwood liquor

Chilliwack City Council defers liquor store proposal at Cottonwood Centre mall; B.C. government has to review

Oct 7, 2022 | 9:32 AM

CHILLIWACK — A proposal to build a liquor store at Cottonwood Centre mall has been deferred until two B.C. government agencies can weigh in on the application.

Chilliwack City Council held a public hearing at its meeting on Tuesday (October 4) and voted to defer the matter until several regulatory matters surrounding the application have been resolved.

The proposal calls for a new liquor store and three commercial retail units, removal of the existing food court area and a portion of Dollarama, future renovation of the food court, creation of a new mall entrance with a separate entry for the proposed liquor store, relocation of the exterior garbage areas and compactor, addition of a loading dock for the liquor store, and reconfiguration of parking areas along with renovation of parking islands with new line painting.

During Tuesday’s meeting, David Blain, deputy chief administrative officer for the City of Chilliwack, advised councillors the proposal was consistent with the Official Community Plan. The B.C. Ministry of Transportation will need to review the liquor store due to the mall’s proximity to Highway 1.

“There’s been a referral to the Ministry of Transportation because we’re beside the highway and we need their confirmation as well,” Blain said. “Concurrent development permit for form and character has been brought forward and has been reviewed by the Design Review Advisory Committee. It’s not coming forward tonight because it’s on hold. We need approval from the Ministry of Environment for the site disclosure statement, so that’ll be coming at another council meeting.”

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Councillor Harv Westeringh wondered why the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy had to review a liquor store application.

“So, the site disclosure statement that has to be submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, is that something new? Is that a new requirement?” he asked.

Blain said it wasn’t necessarily a new requirement, rather it was par for the course.

“It happens with a lot of these developments,” Blain advised. “It’s just part of the contaminated sites regulation. It usually happens in the background. In this case it just hasn’t been processed in time.”

No one from the public spoke against the liquor store at Tuesday’s public hearing. The applicant appeared on a teleconference link but there were no specific questions from staff or councillors for the applicant.

Councillor Bud Mercer praised the developers for their professionalism during the application process.

“This team has appeared before Councillor Kloot and I at the Design Review Advisory Committee,” Mercer said. “They’ve been nothing but forthcoming with the information. They accepted all the input from the architects, the designers, [and] the developers that are on that committee, and graciously implemented the advice as well as the crime prevention through the environmental design report. I fully support them. They’ve been great to get along with. Great addition to the city.”

Mayor Ken Popove said city staff will review all the applications and make a decision at some point in the future.

According to a City of Chilliwack staff report, it was recommended the application be held until a definite liquor store tenant is secured. That confirmation is still on hold.

The city staff report notes there is already an existing liquor store across the street, Sardis Liquor Store, and liquor is sold within Real Canadian Superstore on Luckakuck. The provincial Liquor and Cannabis Branch stipulates that an existing licensee retail store, or B.C. Liquor store, cannot be located within one kilometer of an existing licensee retail store, unless certain exemption criteria are met.