Unity Cannabis application approved by City Council

Merritt residents come out in droves Tuesday night to address Council ahead of a debate on the proposed Unity Cannabis location at the Adelphi Hotel.

Several speakers including representatives from the Williams Lake First Nation presented to Council to accompany over 300 pages of public input received by City Hall.

Those opposed to the proposal spoke mostly to the location at the Adelphi, and whether Merritt needed another cannabis store. There are currently two retail cannabis stores in town.

Those in favour addressed free enterprise, the creation jobs, and improving the downtown core with a new business.

A fair amount of debate from Council surrounded a daycare currently within the 150-metre buffer zone of the property, however the daycare is currently in the process of moving.

“What we have is a legal business, federally approved. This is not just somebody coming in to sell drugs to our locals,” said Mayor Linda Brown. “We have a daycare that has already waived its rights to move closer to different cannabis store, so I have no issue with the location.”

“Local bands could have applied, but they haven’t,” added Brown. “(Unity) will have my support.”

City Council approved the application in a split vote 4-3. Mayor Brown along with Councillors Kurt Christopherson, Tony Luck, and Travis Fehr voted in favour.

Following the approval, the owner of Quilchena Cannabis burst into the chambers and threatened the City with a lawsuit over the decision. It’s unclear what the lawsuit would surround.

“This will end in a lawsuit for the City,” shouted April Hagen from the back of the room.

More to come