The Trees Cannabis Alpha Street location, close to Mayfair Shopping Centre, shut down Wednesday as VicPD and the provincial Community Safety Unit attended.
VicPD officers could be seen at the Trees location at 695 Alpha Street on Wednesday afternoon. VicPD has confirmed they were assisting the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
Police attend the Trees Alpha Street location on July 31, 2019.
The Community Safety Unit, 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.
The unit ” has the authority to enter premises where cannabis is being sold without a provincial retail store licence and take enforcement action, including making seizures of cannabis,” according to the province.
The ministry said it doesn’t comment on specific enforcement activities but did say that across the province, they are “increasing enforcement and education campaigns.”
Alex Robb, CEO of Trees Cannabis, said the province made it clear that they have stepped up their enforcement from education to active enforcement.
Robb said the Community Safety Unit arrived at 9 a.m., and instructed customers and staff to leave.
“Our manager stayed with them and made sure they had access to the entire store,” Robb said.
“They seized all the cannbis products. Fortunately, there were no arrests made, no charges laid, no fines given to staff and employees.”
Trees also posted on their Facebook page that the Alpha Street branch was closed on July 31, 2019. Robb said the store has suspended all operations until it receives its provincial licence. He also expects the company will pay a fine equal to the cannabis retail value.
Posted by Trees – Island Grown on Wednesday, July 31, 2019
Robb said he sent a letter to the Ministry of Labour and the Community Safety Unit indicating Trees would suspend operations on Sept. 30.
“We are going to be laying off 92 people in Victoria and the Employment Standards Act requires that we provide eight weeks notice to the minister of labour so we provided that eight weeks notice. That timeline obviously didn’t work for them,” Robb said.
In a release Wednesday night, Trees said it has given termination notice to its more than 150 staff at all its locations.
All Trees operations are being suspended on Aug. 16, Robb said, until Trees Cannabis is licensed by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch. Robb said he hopes the company is allowed to wind down in a manner that allows staff obligations to be fulfilled.
Licenced retail locations in Victoria include Cloud Nine Collective on Fort Street, The Original Farm on Douglas Street, The Original Farm on Scott Street and Clarity Cannabis on Gorge Road East.
CHEK News
