It looks like 100 Percent Cannabis will be expanding after all.
Derek Koel and his business partner Jordan Altmiks have been running their non-medicinal cannabis shop in Port McNeill since 2021, and business has been so good they’ve decided to open a second location right in downtown Port Hardy.
If you’re wondering where exactly the new shop will be located, they are planning to open for business at #4-7210 Market Street, which is the old North Star Cycle & Sports building.
In order to open this second location though, Koel and Altmiks had to seek approval from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch, as well as the District of Port Hardy’s mayor and council.
After the district received the referral from the LCRB, it was brought up at council’s Dec. 12 meeting with a recommendation from Chief Administrative Officer Heather Nelson-Smith for approval, as the shop has passed all the requirements that are listed in the district’s cannabis bylaw.
There was only one complaint sent in about the shop opening at that location, which was written by Darren Saunders, owner of Pacificanna, a non-medicinal cannabis shop located at #2-7035 Market Street in Port Hardy.
Saunders’ point of view was that the location for the shop is simply too close to Rotary park, which is across the street from the building, and that 100 Percent Cannabis will also be too close to Pacificanna, as it’s just about a five-minute walk down the road from their location.
Nelson-Smith explained that there’s currently no issues regarding the distance between the proposed building and Rotary park as it’s over 100 metres away, nor is there any issue regarding the distance between Pacificanna and 100 Percent Cannabis.
“Based on all the information [staff has] provided us, and obviously all the hard work that went into it back in June of 2018, the public consultations and having a group that specifically dealt with this, everything we’ve got in place meets all the requirements, so I’m totally in favour,” stated Coun. Dennis Dugas, who added he would make the motion to accept staff’s recommendation to approve a third cannabis shop in town.
Coun. John Tidbury seconded the motion and it was passed unanimously.