The British Columbia cannabis stores have access to an unlimited amount of public funds, which is essentially a public subsidy for their operations and prices. This allows government stores to operate at very low margins. For instance, a legal cannabis product will display the standardized cannabis symbol, health warning messages, the excise stamp, and simple child-proof packaging and labeling. Oana Cappellano, president and co-founder of Eggs Canna, explains that the low prices of the BC Cannabis Store made it impossible for private retailers to compete.
This access to public money creates artificially lowered prices in cannabis stores in British Columbia, which do not need to be profitable. Currently, there are 27 stores in British Columbia, many of which are located close to the 360 privately owned stores that are currently open. Additionally, while private retailers can sell cannabis online, customers must pick it up at the store or have it delivered by hand by the retailer. Cappellano states that the BC Cannabis store near her opened about eight months after it opened, before any other private retailer was in the area.
BC Cannabis Stores offer a wide selection of edibles, concentrates, cannabis oils, capsules, CBD oils, pre-rolls and dried flowers with different strengths of CBD and THC in indica, sativa and hybrid options.
