Kimberley was the first community in British Columbia to grant business licences to two medical marijuana dispensaries, Tamarack Dispensaries and Earth含羞草研究社檚 Own Naturals.

Now, Tamarack Cannabis Boutique will be the first retail cannabis store in the province to be granted a licence from the provincial government. They received it on Thursday, Nov. 1, 2018. And Earth含羞草研究社檚 Own will also be receiving their business licence, says owner Laurie Weitzel.

The process requires security screening and financial integrity checks, support from the local government or First Nation and a store inspection.

It含羞草研究社檚 been a bit of a slog through the process for Tamarack owners Rod and Tamara Duggan. Tamara says they applied shortly after the provincial government opened up the approval process in mid-August.

含羞草研究社淚t took until yesterday when they called to say approval had been granted,含羞草研究社� she said. 含羞草研究社淥n Tuesday night I had the inspection with Liquor and Cannabis BC and they said we were done, just go online, pay the annual licence fee and you含羞草研究社檙e good.含羞草研究社�

However, she went online to discover that the site was down for testing.

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含羞草研究社淚 wouldn含羞草研究社檛 say the entire process was easy,含羞草研究社� Duggan said. 含羞草研究社淓very time I completed one step, I would find out something else is required.

含羞草研究社淭hey were only one step ahead of me the whole way. I was the guinea pig because I was first to apply. So to the folks who come behind me, you含羞草研究社檙e welcome.含羞草研究社�

With all that behind them, the Duggans are excited to enter the new phase of their business, but will have to close until the product ordered through the government arrives. They were open, and very busy, on Thursday.

含羞草研究社淚 will now be closed until I receive the cannabis products,含羞草研究社� she said Thursday. 含羞草研究社淭hey will probably arrive some time next week. It含羞草研究社檚 the first time for me to do that ordering, so there will probably be a few glitches. But because I am the first one order, I get the pick of the crop!含羞草研究社�

Tamarack will have a grand re-opening as soon as the stock arrives.

WATCH: Inside a B.C.-based marijuana production facility

Kimberley Mayor Don McCormick is pleased to see the licences granted.

含羞草研究社淭amarack含羞草研究社檚 behaviour as a business, under difficult circumstances the last two and half years, has made them a model for other retailers,含羞草研究社� he said.

含羞草研究社淭hey have given tens of thousands of dollars to non-profits, given back to the community. This makes them a model for all other cannabis retailers.含羞草研究社�

McCormick also says that the two businesses have operated in Kimberley for the past two and a half years and there have been absolutely no problems.

含羞草研究社淚n two and a half years, there has not been one formal complaint. Both have been awesome businesses.含羞草研究社�

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