The long wait is over for users and sellers of legal recreational marijuana in Rocky View County, as stores selling the drug finally begin to pop up throughout the region.
Following a six-month moratorium issued last December by Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis, local stores hoping to sell legal weed received licenses to do so in July, giving them the green light to order inventory and start selling within four weeks.
In Chestermere, the first retailer to offer cannabis on its shelves – Lake Side Cannabis – began doing so July 12. The store is located in Chestermere Landing, on the east side of the lake.
“I’m definitely proud to be the first one here, and that we’re locally owned,” owner Ryan Roch said. “We live here in Chestermere, our family is here, and we’re proud to be able to be a part of this community and its economy.”
It has been a long road to get the business up and running, according to Roch. While Lake Side Cannabis opened in February, Roch said he was, initially, only able to sell cannabis-related accessories, such as pipes, bongs and vapourizers, due to the moratorium.
“It was a tough go, turning customers away on a regular basis,” he said. “We got it done and it was really exciting, and we worked really hard. Our whole team here is pumped about the whole thing.”
Plantlife Cannabis, a chain that includes 10 outlets in Calgary, Airdrie, and other cities around the province, was the second cannabis retailer to open in Chestermere. Doors opened July 26, after press time. The chain's Cochrane outlet opened July 25, with an unveiling attended by the company’s Chief Executive Officer Mike Wheeler.
Wheeler said he and his partners switched gears from beer – the company's previous focus – to cannabis once legalization talks emerged a few years ago.
“We thought it was a good idea to throw our hat in the ring," he said. "All of a sudden, it came together and it was viable."
According to Roch, feedback from local residents has been positive, thus far.
“Overall, it’s been great," he said. "Anything that hasn’t, it’s just been a great opportunity for a conversation and to learn on both sides – there are always opportunities to learn and share in knowledge.”
The high demand for legal cannabis has shown the need for a local retail option, Roch added.
“People are happy they have a resource in Chestermere, now, and they don’t have to drive to Calgary,” he said. “They can purchase their products here and it’s not inconvenient.
“We’re also servicing Langdon and [east] Rocky View County, so there’s a lot of great feedback from those individuals, as well.”
