Muse Cannabis is collecting feedback from the public on the prospect of opening a cannabis store in the Westgate Shopping Centre.
Muse currently has one cannabis store open at 3039 Granville St. in Vancouver and a second shop is to open in two weeks at Granville and Hastings.
Mike McKee, of Muse Cannabis, told The News this week that Maple Ridge was selected for a potential store based off the success of JAK’s Beer Wine & Spirits, which has been operated by Muse’s partners for the past three years. The address for the proposed store is 20395 Lougheed Highway.
“Based on our interactions with the public through canvassing, there’s a lot of enthusiastic support for a cannabis store at that shopping centre because it’s an all-in-one shopping experience. It’s a one-stop-shop for groceries, drugs, for liquor and now as well for cannabis. It’s just adding another amenity to the shopping centre.”
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Last weekend, McKee set up a booth at Westgate Shopping Centre and gathered more than 100 signatures of support, all while staying physically distanced from people.
Residents have until May 20 to inform the city of their position on the cannabis store. After the deadline, the file is to be in city staff hands to make a recommendation to council.
A public notice issued by the City of Maple Ridge asks people who consider themselves affected by the application to make written submissions to the city’s administrative assistant Jaci Diachuk by emailing jdiachuk@mapleridge.ca
All submissions are to be considered as a public document, and people have until 4 p.m., May 20 to submit feedback.
“I believe there are only two sites that are licensed by the city to sell cannabis,” McKee said. “We’ve been really thrilled with our experience with Maple Ridge and that shopping centre in particular.”