Prince George Airport is one step closer to having a cannabis store set up shop in the building, but not without some opposition.
Prince George City Council approved the land use by the company in last night’s (Monday) council meeting, but an Air Canada Director of Local and Provincial Government Relations Serge Corbeil spoke on the potential business.
“First, I’d like to state our disappointment with the absence of meaningful consultation with the airlines about this. After all, we’re part of the reason why an airline operates.”
Corbeil said they were only made aware of the store about 72 hours prior to the City Council meeting discussing the topic on January 10th.
He added that not enough work has gone in to satisfy all the parties involved in the airport facility, noting that there are changes that will need to happen to accommodate the cannabis store.
Corbeil was concerned about bringing customers that weren’t involved with flying to the airport, and that not enough was being done to make sure people flying internationally were not buying these products.
Corbeil, as well as a letter sent from a co-pilot that lives in Vancouver, took issue with the name Co-Pilot, with Corbeil calling it cute, but saying that he rejects it.
Councillor Kyle Sampson asked the Co-Pilot founders why both Westjet and Air Canada noted that not enough consultation was done with them.
“We have not directly reached out to any airlines, we view ourselves as lessees of the airport, and think that the airport has the direct relationship with the airlines,” said Co-Pilot Co-founder Reed Horton.
Sampson also asked Horton to address people taking offence to the name Co-Pilot.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if Air Canada served Captain Morgan’s Rum on their flights sometimes, and I’d hope that Captains of planes don’t take offence to the use of that term in that context,” said Horton.
Many City Councillors and Mayor Lyn Hall were very disappointed by the lack of consultation by Co-Pilot, and suggested that the founders do some more before the final approval of the rezoning process.
Once the BC Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch approves the business for a cannabis license, final approval can begin.
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