LAKE LOUISE – There won’t be any retail cannabis stores in Lake Louise or Field any time soon.
Both hamlets are administered by Parks Canada, with Lake Louise in Banff National Park following Alberta provincial rules in its approach to cannabis retail, while Field in Yoho National Park will follow B.C.’s regulations.
Parks Canada officials say they will take a similar approach to granting business licenses for non-medical cannabis retail stores as it currently does for the sale of liquor.
“Parks Canada has received no formal requests to establish a retail cannabis outlet in Lake Louise or Field,” said Parks Canada spokeswoman Madeleine Lahaie.
“Prospective applicants may submit proposals provided they reflect relevant provincial cannabis legislation,” she said, noting provincial licensing requirements must also be met.
In Jasper National Park, both Parks Canada and the municipality of Jasper must approve pot retail applications for the commercial district in the townsite. There are currently no retail stores in Jasper.
“Parks Canada has four applications,” said Parks Canada spokesman Steve Young, who works in Jasper National Park.
Meanwhile, Whistler, B.C., has prohibited the retail sale of cannabis through its zoning bylaw.
According to the resort municipality’s website, the zoning regulations on retail may be revisited at some point in the future and there would be consultation with prospective retailers.
“Due to the prohibition in the zoning bylaw, there are no properties in Whistler that are eligible for a cannabis retail licence and it is a criminal offence to sell cannabis without a provincial licence,” states the website.
In Banff, the town’s planning and development department began accepting applications on Nov. 1. The first wave of applications must be submitted between Nov. 1 and Nov. 30.
Applications received after Nov. 30 will not be processed until after the first wave of applications are processed.
