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Community Safety Unit visits the VCBC

May 29, 2019 at 1:30pm, the VCBC was visited by the BC Community Safety Unit (CSU) and the agents established an initial point of contact with our club.

“The Community Safety Unit (CSU), under the Policing and Security Branch of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, is responsible for compliance and enforcement under the Cannabis Control and Licensing Act (CCLA), with a focus on the illegal sale of cannabis. CSU investigators carry out compliance and enforcement activities against unlicensed cannabis retailers and other illegal sellers across the province.” 
(https://www2.gov.bc.ca/…/…/safety/public-safety/cannabis/csu)

The four members of the CSU who entered the VCBC today made it clear that they were in the club to give us the first warning that they are inspecting and enforcing compliance for illegal dispensaries. The meeting today allowed the agents to make themselves known and to inform us that they had a list of illegally operating dispensaries.

The agents communicated that the CSU has the authority to impose $10,000 daily fines and conduct seizures of product for non compliance with the licensing regulations. The agents did not provide a timeline for when further enforcement action would take place but informed us that actions would not be happening immediately. This has been our first contact with the new provincial enforcement unit and we are hopeful for an amicable relationship moving forward.

We will continue updating as new developments unfold.