The fourth BC Cannabis Store location on Vancouver Island opened in Parksville on Thursday, Jan. 23 and will serve as a regional training hub for employees on Vancouver Island. (Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

GRAND OPENING

Fourth province-run marijuana retailer on Vancouver Island opens in Parksville

Jan 23, 2020 | 4:08 AM

PARKSVILLE — Residents in the Parksville-Qualicum region have a more direct, regulated access to cannabis products and accessories.

A newly renovated 5,000 square foot BC Cannabis Store at Wembley Mall joins similar province-run marijuana retail locations in Campbell River, Courtenay and Port Alberni.

The Wembley Mall store joins three private cannabis retail stores already operating in the Parksville-Qualicum Beach market place.

BC Cannabis Store regional manager Tyson Muzzillo told NanaimoNewsNOW their newly opened Parksville store contains approximately 80 different types of cannabis product as well as edibles and accessories.

He said the focus of their 14 staff members is on the education aspect of their products.

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“We bring them into the store and talk to them about the safe and responsible use of cannabis, help them make an educated buying decision or just educate them on cannabis in general,” Muzzillo said.

The BC Cannabis Store in Parksville will also serve as a regional training centre for cannabis store staff.

“Parksville is a central location on the Island so it will allow us to bring BC Cannabis Store staff from around the Island in for more product information and continuing the on-going training of all the locations on the Island,” Muzzillo said.

A fifth Island store is planned for Nanaimo in summer 2020 and is slated to join the region’s first licensed, privately owned store that opened in December, 2019.

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley