A lot has changed since the Straight produced our first cannabis dispensary map back in 2015.
At the time, it included 88 different shops across the city, spanning from Point Grey to Renfrew-Collingwood. Needless to say, things shifted when the City of Vancouver decided to step in.
A few weeks after the map was published, council adopted regulations that it hoped would ensure “adequate availability of medical marijuana for those in need”
Since the introduction of new rules for medical-marijuana-related businesses, Straight data shows the number of dispensaries in the City of Vancouver sits at 95.
In the two years since the regulations were introduced, just 10 dispensaries have been given business licences, while another 18 have their applications under review. Of the licensed businesses, five are classified as compassion clubs and five as retail dealers.
The remaining 67 dispensaries continue to operate outside of the legal framework.
Data provided by the city shows that as of June 27, 2017, 62 dispensaries in Vancouver are subject to enforcement, while 31 are not.
The same data shows that of 1,856 tickets issued to dispensaries that have ignored regulations, 364 have been paid. Since the regulations have been put in place, a total of 27 injunctions have been filed.
Outside of Vancouver, 19 dispensaries are operating in suburbs such as North Vancouver, Maple Ridge, Langley, and Abbotsford. None of these municipalities has created a framework for marijuana-related businesses. In Burnaby, members of the Sanctuary of the Rastafarian Order use cannabis as religious sacrament. The Prince Tafari Centre in Surrey provides cannabis for the same purposes.
Take a look through the interactive map to find out where dispensaries are located. If you’re looking for a specific type of dispensary, use the drop-down menu on the bottom right of the map.
