The City of Vancouver is stepping up its crackdown on unlicensed marijuana dispensaries, filing an injunction to force the closure of more than a dozen shops.

More than 100 unlicensed pot shops were told to close their doors by April 29, and a whopping 162 of 176 stores that applied for business licences were rejected.

Most of the applications failed due to a rule barring dispensaries from operating within 300 metres of each other, or of schools, community centres and youth facilities.

Since then, the city has been handing out violation tickets to all unlicensed businesses that continue to operate against the municipal bylaw. In the first weekend, more than $11,000 in fines was handed out to business owners who defied the law.

On Tuesday, the city announced that 31 medical marijuana retail stores complied with orders to close, but 55 remained open despite the repercussions.

In an effort to step up the crackdown, the city filed injunctions to close 17 of the 55 that are still in operation. The locations were prioritized based on proximity to legally operating shops, community feedback and response to previous enforcement actions.

"Some of these locations are the source of regular noise and nuisance complaints or have been uncooperative with city inspection staff," a statement said.

Although the businesses have been ordered to close, at least one location plans to resist the order.

"We will not be shutting down because we believe strongly in right to access cannabis for all Canadians adults," dispensary advocate Jodie Emery told CTV News.

Emery spoke to CTV from Cannabis Culture on Beatty Street, one of the shops named in the city's injunctions.

Emery said she is calling on all levels of government to issue a moratorium on marijuana-related arrests, including those directed at owners of dispensaries.

"Until they can demonstrate that harm is being done, these shops should be allowed to stay open," she said.

The city will continue to inspect and ticket the dispensaries operating without a licence. To date, 246 tickets have been issued.

The following is a list of businesses named in the injunctions:

  • The Healing Tree, 8180 Champlain Cres.
  • Cannabis Culture/The Healing Tree, 512 Beatty St.
  • Divine Ventures, 8640 Granville St.
  • Weeds Glass & Gifts, 1232 Burrard St.
  • Weeds Glass & Gifts, 1108 Richards St.
  • Weeds Glass & Gifts, 104 – 1807 Burrard St.
  • Weeds Glass & Gifts, 405 Skeena St.
  • Vancity Medicinals, 1299 Kingsway
  • Weeds Glass & Gifts, 6657 Main St.
  • Weeds Glass & Gifts, 2580 Kingsway
  • Imedikate, 6128 Fraser St.
  • Green Cross Society BC, 2145 Kingsway
  • Lotusland Cannabis Club, 3474 W. Broadway
  • Health Lifestyle Dispensary, 1092 Kingsway
  • Sea to Sky Dispensary & Lounge, 100 – 68 E. 2nd Ave.
  • BC Pain Society, 2908 Commercial Dr.
  • Buddha's Sister – House of Cannabis, 2918 W. 4th Ave.

A map of businesses that have been issued licences is available online.