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By Justine Kelsie

Business license cap good for small businesses: Leaf Wise Co-founder

May 28, 2018 | 2:18 PM

As the public and business community patiently wait for the cannabis bylaws to return to Grande Prairie Council Chambers in June, local entrepreneurs are reflecting on the proposed amendments.

Leaf Wise Co-founder Andrew Boone was one of the last people standing at the over five-hour city council meeting last week. Once bylaws are passed, Boone is planning on branching out from the medicinal marijuana shop he already runs in the city and starting up a retail cannabis location. With that in mind, he was very pleased that the councillors proposed to scrap the overlay map for where businesses could set up. Instead, they proposed a change to the Land Use Bylaws to open up more of the city and put a magnifying glass on each location someone wanted to use.  

It was also proposed that the buffer zone between liquor stores and cannabis retail shops be taken away which Boone said wasn’t make or break for him. 

From a local business perspective, the proposed 10 business license cap for the first year of legalization was welcome. 

“I am very supportive of the cap. I think what it is showing to the business community in Grande Prairie is small business (is important). This is a large industry. There is a lot of large players out there that have a lot of cash flow and are publicly traded. I think the concern is the monopolization of this area with respect to somebody having multiple stores,” said Boone. 

On top of the cap, people would only be able to have a maximum of two licenses. 

Growing at home was also a topic of discussion with people being able to grow four plants with a permit if the bylaws pass. Boone thinks there isn’t going to be as many people taking advantage as first thought.

“There is a lot more to it than just throwing a plant in the ground and creating a marijuana plant. There is obviously supplies and one thing people will be unaware of is where they are getting their seeds from. They think you can just go find them anywhere, but in reality, they are going to have to buy them through a licensed producer. There is going to be a set price for those as well,” said Boone.

Smoke-Free Playgrounds and Athletics Bylaw was passed on Tuesday which pushed the buffer zone for smoking a little further away from playgrounds and hospitals.

“I think they are taking a cautious approach in respect to a lot of the playgrounds and things regarding youth. It is definitely a good thing and I am in support of doing this the right way.”

The rest of the cannabis bylaw amendments will appear before council on June 18. 

by Justine Kelsie