News

60,000 cannabis sales in BC

Published on November 25, 2018 by David Wylie

BC is lit. 

Tens of thousands of British Columbians have now bought legal cannabis.

Since Oct. 17, the BC Cannabis Store has made about 60,000 transactions. That’s an average of about 1,700 each day.

Kate Bilney, senior communications officer with the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, told the oz. that lines have been out the door of the Kamloops location.

Since opening, the brick-and-mortar cannabis shop has seen more than 18,000 sales.

“We have been overwhelmed by customers’ response to our first store,” she said. “However, our cannabis consultants have been working hard to provide the best possible service to all customers of BC Cannabis Stores.”

There are 20 staff at the store.

We visited and had a great experience.

Meanwhile, the online portal has accounted for about 40,000 transactions.

The branch can’t say exactly how many cannabis products were sold in those transactions or the value of the products sold, as it represents competitive business information.

Vancouver? The Island?

Bilney said the branch is now focusing on finding new locations in the Vancouver area and Vancouver Island.

“We are actively investigating suitable locations across the province and are committed to a careful and efficient rollout of our network of BC Cannabis Stores (BCCS),” she said. “The LDB is particularly focused on securing suitable locations within the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island areas in an effort to cater to the province’s most discerning markets.”

In Kamloops, Bilney said the community has embraced the store.

“The Kamloops community has been very welcoming, and we are very grateful to the community, and the neighbouring commercial businesses within the Columbia Place Shopping Centre.”

The exact numbers

Transactions (Wednesday, October 17, 12:01am to Tuesday, November 20, 11:59pm)

• BC Cannabis Stores online: 38,886
• Kamloops BC Cannabis Store: 18,210

– The BC Liquor Distribution Branch

In the photos

Top: Science World in Vancouver all lit up at night…

Inset: BC’s first BC Cannabis Store in Kamloops. BC gov’t/Flickr