Abbotsford seeks to banish marijuana magnate Donald Briere

The City of Abbotsford is stepping up its battle with the so-called Tim Hortons of pot.

Two months after obtaining its first injunction against one ofDon Briere's marijuana dispensaries, Abbotsfordhas now filed a petition seeking to keep the pot-trepreneur out of the community entirely.

According todocuments filed in B.C. Supreme Court Tuesday, Abbotsfordwantsan orderto close Mary Jane's Glass and Gifts Ltd. on South Fraser Way.

• Abbotsfordruns pot shops out of town

But the city is also seeking an order "prohibiting Donald Joseph Briere from operating an unlawful marijuana dispensary in the City of Abbotsfordeither personally or through any corporationor society of which he is a director, officer, shareholder or member."

Empire built on cannabis

Briere operates an empire of more than a dozen Weeds and Mary Jane marijuana dispensaries in B.C. and Ontario, with the bulk of his businesses located in Vancouver.

AbbotsfordMayor Henry Braun has vowed to keep dispensaries out of his community because he says they are prohibited by federal law. In January, the city obtained an injunction against one of theWeedslocations.

Reached by telephone, Brieresaid he closed that business, which left him with two Mary Jane outlets.But he says the operator of one of the businesses shut his doors in the face of mounting fines.

Briere said he's been racking up daily fines at the remaining location, which is now the subject of the Supreme Court petition.

He said the mayor is out of step with a recent federal court ruling which recognizes the right of medical marijuana patients to access pot of their choosing.

"I don't care if you believe the earth is flat, but don't fine me 800 dollars a day because you believe the earth is flat," he said.

"A lot of people are really miffed with the mayor, and they don't understand why he's doing this."

Issuance of licence prohibited

According to the latest petition, the city argues that Briere's remaining dispensary is prohibited from operating without a business licence.

"As the retail sale of marijuana is not lawful, Mary Jane does not have, and cannot obtain, the requisite approval from the federal government for the dispensary," the documentreads.

"Issuance of a business licence is thereby prohibited."

The city is also seeking special costs against Briere.

In contrast, the City of Vancouver has decided toissue businesslicencesto pot dispensaries in an attempt to regulate them.

Brierecalled the legal challenges a waste of taxpayer money.