Skip to content

Government-run cannabis store opening at Saanich’s Uptown

BC Cannabis Store the first for government in Greater Victoria, 27th in province
25511458_web1_210615-SNE-New-BC-Cannabis-Uptown-TysonM_1
Tyson Muzzillo, regional manager of BC Cannabis Store, welcomes shoppers to their Uptown location, opening on June 16. (Megan Atkins-Baker/News Staff)

The provincial government’s BC Cannabis Store is set to launch its 27th shop on Wednesday (June 16) at Uptown in Saanich.

It’s the first venture into the retail cannabis market for the province in Greater Victoria.

The Uptown venue, on the upper level of the centre, is bright, artsy and clearly laid out. Equipped with organized menus, educational features and fun visual components, it’s designed to ensure a straightforward and enjoyable shopping experience.

A variety of products are available, from edibles, extracts and topicals to dried cannabis flower, oils, capsules, pre-rolls and paraphernalia.

“It’s your one-stop-shop,” said Tyson Muzzillo, regional manager of cannabis retail operations, during a media tour held on Tuesday.

ALSO READ: Farm-gate cannabis sales allow customers to buy pot straight from the farm

Muzzillo stressed the outlet’s key focus is social responsibility and keeping cannabis out of the hands of children and youth and eliminating the illicit market. “You’ll see that in our educational pieces and how we’ve laid out the store.”

Staff will ensure a strict two-ID check upon entry for anyone who appears under the age of 30. The store team will also comply with physical distancing regulations by limiting the spacious venue to 12 people at a time.

“The location makes us well-positioned to serve the community and surrounding market,s providing consumers with a unique shopping experience,” stated Kevin Satterfield, director of retail cannabis operations, in a release.

BC Cannabis Store is operated by the Liquor Distribution Branch and has grown to contribute more than $1.1 billion annually to the province’s economic base, according to figures provided.


Do you have a story tip? Email: megan.atkinsbaker@saanichnews.com.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram, and like us on Facebook.