The City of Vancouver is working to shut down dozens of pot shops that aren't following the rules, but the injunctions aren't enough to deter some owners.

Green Cross Society of BC is one of more than 50 dispensaries the city says are operating illegally. While recreational cannabis will be legal in weeks, the city is targeting those ignoring regulations first enforced in Vancouver back in 2016.

Since then, the city has issued 3,324 tickets worth $2.5 million. As of late June, only 374 tickets had been paid in full, for a dollar amount less than $200,000.

Dozens of injunction applications have been filed, and the majority of those 53 have agreed to a test case in BC Supreme Court. Tuesday was the first day of what is expected to be a three-week hearing.

The city told CTV News the proceedings will set precedent for future cases, and that those who agreed to take part said they'd accept the decision.

Rohan Gardiner from Green Cross said he feels confident owners and operators will have their voices heard.

"It's very important to us to keep our doors open. There's so many services that won't be available," he told CTV News Tuesday.

Lawyers for the dispensaries are arguing the city doesn't have the authority to shut down those providing medicinal marijuana to their clients.

"Medical is federal. The feds have to put something in the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes regulations to recognize this distinct type of dispensary and then the city can do its lawful thing, once they're lawful," said lawyer John Conroy.

"The right of the medically approved patients to reasonable access is to prevent the violation of their constitutional rights."

Green Cross has been around for more than a decade, and ended up running afoul of a regulation requiring dispensaries to be at least 300 metres away from schools in the city.

"We have an obligation to stay open for our membership at this point in time, and that's what you are going to continue to do. That's what we plan on doing," Gardiner said.

His business serves between 200 and 500 people a day, he said.

The proceeding is scheduled to stretch toward the end of the month, and there's an expectation the judge may reserve before issuing his decision, meaning the ruling could come after pot is officially made legal in Canada.