Image: Supplied by City of Chilliwack / Chilliwack City Council denied a request from a Vancouver Island businessman to set up a cannabis retail store in the downtown Save-on Foods shopping centre.

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Chilliwack cannabis

Chilliwack City Council denies application for downtown cannabis retail store by Vancouver Island businessman

Jul 20, 2022 | 7:34 AM

CHILLIWACK — Chilliwack City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to deny a request from a Vancouver Island entrepreneur to establish a non-medical cannabis retail store in the downtown Save-on Foods shopping centre.

Despite a petition submitted by applicant Joseph Chouinard that had the support of 100 residents in the greater downtown area, council members heeded the recommendation of municipal staff in declining a temporary use permit.

Chouinard, who lives in Sidney, launched four successful cannabis retail locations on Vancouver Island and in northern B.C. before making a push to open one at 46020 Yale Road, also known as Salish Plaza. It would have been his fifth cannabis store. He said he operated those four locations under temporary use permits.

Upwards of nine cannabis stores have cropped up throughout Chilliwack following the federal legalization of cannabis in October 2018. That same year, Chilliwack council adopted a C8 cannabis retail zone designation that requires a minimum 300-metre buffer to mitigate exposure to children and youth, and avoid a market saturation of too many cannabis retailers in one commercial area.

The concept behind the buffer was to ensure a minimum distance of 300 metres from schools and playgrounds, supportive housing facilities that serve vulnerable youth, and other permitted cannabis retailers.

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Salish Park, which contains a playground and is located next to the downtown Chilliwack library, is only 100 metres from the site. Veterans Memorial Park is only 189 metres away, and Rain City Housing, which operates a supportive housing complex at 45944 Yale Road, is 282 metres from the proposed cannabis retailer.

In appearing by teleconference, Chouinard touted strict security protocols at his stores as required by the province, and highlighted his stores’ external art that reflected local geography. However, he did not address the 300-metre buffer, which appeared to concern at least one council member.

“This council went through great pains to create the boundaries for good reason,” said Councillor Bud Mercer, speaking directly to Chouinard.

Mercer pointed out the proposed cannabis store was not only within close proximity to a playground, but also a supportive housing complex containing a population of drug users, some of whom were trying to quit. He told Chouinard that if he had expended the necessary effort, he could have found a better spot.

Chouinard did not respond.

According to city staff reports, the applicant pursued a temporary use permit rather than a rezoning application, in an effort to demonstrate to the public and Chilliwack council that the proposed business could successfully integrate into the area. Chouinard emphasized during Tuesday’s meeting that council had the discretion and power to revoke his temporary use permit if problems arose, and a temporary use permit was not permanent in nature.

Mayor Ken Popove said it would be a dangerous precedent to approve Chouinard’s application when others have applied and been denied.

“We have turned down others that have applied that don’t meet the criteria,” Popove said.

Added Councillor Jason Lum: “I don’t doubt his success and commitment to this industry and the business that he’s in. Given that I don’t support any kind of a queue jump or a back door way of approving it, I’m going to have to support the staff recommendation. It’s probably incumbent on the future council to review the C8 zone based on their comfort level and based on feedback from the community.”