Aura Health Studio at 1316 Kingsway has become the third business awarded a business licenses under Vancouver’s Marijuana Related Use licensing program.
Aura has been operating as a society since it opened in August 2015 under the MPN Health Society banner. The location was formerly operated as MedPotNow, both in the Kingsway location as well as an online retail store. MedPotNow has been in operation since 2011. Aura is a separate business not connected to MedPotNow.
Business licenses under Vancouver’s MMRU are divided into for-profit dispensaries, which pay a $10,000 licensing fee, and non profit compassion clubs/societies that pay a $1,000 licensing fee. Aura is the second MMRU license to operate as a formal society. A business licence can only be issued to a compassion club in the name of a society registered under the Society Act.
The compassion club licence category requires businesses to provide additional non-marijuana related health services to their members, such as yoga, alternative medicines, etc. Compassion clubs are required to provide health care services for at least 60% of the hours that they are open. Aura is operating as a health studio that provides extra services like access to a holistic nutritionist.
Tina Zlati, one of the company’s Directors, says she is very excited to have made it through the licensing process, and is proud of the steps the city of Vancouver has taken to lead the way with licensing dispensaries in Canada.
“I have to give a big, big thank you to John Freeman (project facilitator at City of Vancouver), Susanna Summers (licensing and development), Sara Hicks (manager, licence office at City of Vancouver), and Andreea Toma (chief licensing inspector) for their help. These have been our main contacts through this process. Without them, we wouldn’t have been able to do it. They’ve been a huge help.”
The process has been a long one, Zlati continues, but feels this is a huge step towards legitimacy for her store, as well as the industry.
“This is just the first step into a new, big industry, and we’re happy to be here. There are still a lot of applications to go, a lot in the queue. A lot will be denied, unfortunately, and a lot will still be approved. It’s hard to predict how things will turn. We still have the federal government watching us, but Vancouver has always been more willing to cooperate with business like ourselves, especially non profit societies like we are.”
Zlati says Aura has not been in touch with any Licensed Producers at this point to discuss opportunities for a legal supply chain in the future, but says they are certainly open to it as a future option. Daniel Petrov, who is the Executive Vice President of Aurora Cannabis Inc., was formerly the Executive Director of the MEDPOTNOW Society from June 2011 to July 2015. Aura formally opened as a seperate entity in August 2015, although the current location used to be a MedPotNow.
The first two business licenses issued by Vancouver were to the Wealth Shop Society at 104-4545 West 10th Ave and Urban Earth Med Society – 1605 Renfrew St.
Another 10 businesses are at the final stage with a development permit, awaiting a business license, and another 16 currently are listed as having a conditional permit — the second of three stages of licensing. The licensing process continues and more are expected to make their way through the process over time.
In the past, Vancouver City councillor Kerry Jang has estimated that about 15-20 dispensaries will get final approval. He has also said he expects the process to take a year or more.
Read more on Vancouver’s MMRU licensing here.
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