Pubdate: Wed, 27 Apr 2016 Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC) Copyright: 2016 Postmedia Network Inc. Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477 Author: Matt Robinson Page: A2 REJECTED POT SHOPS FACE FINES, CLOSURES Yet since August, the city has received 230 store applications Even as Vancouver gears up to shut down pot shops that failed to meet new licensing conditions, city hall faces a non-stop flow of new requests to open such stores. At last count, another 230 prospective pedlars have jumped in line since the initial application period to operate a pot shop in the city closed last August, all seeking business licences of their own, according to city staff. Another three stores have popped up without bothering to apply. Despite the trio being slapped with 20 violation tickets between them, one remains open and in a legal battle with the City of Vancouver, said Andreea Toma, city director of licensing. It has taken the city eight months and counting to sort through the 176 licence applications it received last summer after councillors voted to regulate pot shops. Now that the city has set up rules and processes, it should take less time to work through applications for new shops, said Toma. But she noted that bids could continue to come in for years as spaces open up in locations that meet - or almost meet - the city's stringent guidelines, such as not being too close to a school or another pot shop. Nearly four in five of the initial 176 applicants were turned down, many of whom already had shops. Those among them who have chosen to stay open could receive a dose of justice from inspectors as early as Saturday. City staff gave a six-month grace period to store owners who were declined a licence, but after that ends on Friday, property use inspectors will be free to issue daily $250 tickets to rejected pot shops that remain open, Toma said. "We knew when we enacted the bylaws and when we put the process forward to bring a whole industry that is used to operating outside of regulation into brand new regulations, we would need to have boots on the ground," Toma said. "We're expecting that on the 30th a lot of businesses will close their doors," Toma said, adding that staff will be looking for violations. Some pot shop owners have said they intend to ignore the city's deadline and continue to operate. Chuck Varabioff, the owner of B.C. Pain Society, said he would ready his chequebook for a daily fine. Inspectors can ticket only the violations they witness, meaning any pot shops not caught in the act would be spared a fine. But Toma said the city is planning a range of tougher remedies for continuing cases, including seeking court injunctions. "We've given folks reminders, we've had a relationship with every single applicant =C2=85 we've done more for this industry than I think we've done for any other business. The expectation is if you are not in a zone-compliant area that you will comply," Toma said, adding that she believed most shops would. - --- MAP posted-by: Matt