Prince Rupert tops the list for the cost of Cannabis licensing for across the Northwest

Entrepreneurs with an eye on the bottom line will perhaps be sharpening their pencils when it comes time to put in a business licence application around the Northwest, with the current road map to cannabis showing that the further you travel west the higher you get ... when it comes to an annual business licence cost.

As we outlined on Friday, Prince Rupert City Council hosted a Special Council session on December 12th, that addressed the Trade and Business licensing requirements for would be cannabis retailers in the community, with Council laying out a schedule that will require $5,000 dollars for the initial application and a renewal fee each year of $2,500.

That puts Prince Rupert high on the spectrum for the Northwest listings.  The only community that appears to be asking the most up front by way of an application fee when it comes to setting up shop and with the largest amount required for an annual renewal basis once the business has been launched.

Of the three other major communities of the Northwest, the cannabis cash call looks as follows:

Terrace

The City of Terrace began their amendment work towards the dawn of the cannabis era back in June, setting the Business licence fee for retail establishments at $1,500. 

That final amount was 1,000 dollars more than had been originally recommended by City staff back in June.

Terrace already has its first applicant for an establishment, that of a government run store to be located on the Northwest side of the Skeena Mall. There have also been three other expressions of interest noted so far by the City of Terrace.

Kitimat

The District of Kitimat began its work on their cannabis planning in May with a Public meeting, with that input and the work of staff providing for their bylaws in August, at that time the District set a business licence fee of 500 dollars for prospective cannabis owners 

Smithers

In Smithers the fees for Cannabis Retail stores are lower still, with 250.00 dollars per year set for the annual business licence fee.

Like Prince Rupert and the others, Smithers has done a fair bit of community engagement on the topic, with a report compiled for the Town Council that outlined the findings and feedback from the community.

Smithers will continue on with their cannabis discussion with their first meeting of January.

In the largest city in Northern British Columbia, a business fee will cost prospective Prince George shop owners 1,200 dollars for a new application with entrepreneurs looking at paying 1,000 dollars year for an annual business licence.

The local retail operations are not the only distribution method that residents of the region can take advantage of with the new cannabis regulations in effect from October.  Cannabis by mail brings your purchase to your door and offers a range of retail options and pricing to choose from.

You can review Prince Rupert's path to cannabis licensing below:

2018

December 14 -- In Special Session of Council, City's Trade and Business regulations amended to allow for cannabis sales in Prince Rupert
December 12 -- Council's Park Avenue Addition to the Cannabis Retail map meets with some resistance from area property owners
December 10 -- City's Cannabis retail plans head to the home stretch with tonight's council session
December 4 -- Public hearing next week marks final opportunity for public to weigh in on City's cannabis plans


November  28 -- Council redraws cannabis borderlines to include Five corners and section of Park Avenue 
November 26 -- City Council to receive details from two reports on findings of Cannabis consultation session last week
November 13 -- City of Prince Rupert seeks community feedback on cannabis plans at consultation session tonight at Coast Mountain College 

October 11 -- No short cuts when it comes to City Council's Cannabis road map
October 9 -- Council to outline plans towards zoning for Cannabis retail opportunities in Prince Rupert
September 28 -- City Council's work on marijuana issues for Prince Rupert to resume in October

2017

December 13 -- City Council Timeline: Monday December 11, 2017
December 11 -- Council to host Public Hearing on Marijuana zoning prohibition tonight
November 17 -- Council to take pulse of Community on Pot zoning at Public hearing December 11th
November 14 -- Council to hear request to extend Marijuana operations prohibition Bylaw until July 2018
March 23 -- Council takes note of complaints related to Medicinal Grow Op smells
February 8 -- Public Hearing offers community feedback as Prince Rupert Council moves forward on marijuana plans
February 2 -- City's one year commercial marijuana prohibition plan is the focus for Public Hearing next week
January 11 -- Prince Rupert plans for Pot Shop Prohibition for one year
January 6 -- Prince Rupert Council to tackle issue of Commercial Marijuana dispensaries at Monday session


A wider overview of City Council discussion topics can be found from Council Discussion archive page here.

Cross posted from the North Coast Review.