Vancouver’s first cashier-less 24/7 store may not last long. This is due to an “unsustainable amount of theft” occurring at the store, called Avenue C. Located in the Walter Gage student residence at the University of BC (UBC), the “micro-market express” is open to the general public all hours day and night as a small convenience store with an automatic cash register. If the theft continues, the store, which opened in October 2021, may not be around much longer. “Our goal is to keep Avenue C open for our community and we are working with Campus Security and Canteen Canada to strengthen security measures,” says UBC director of food services Colin Moore in a statement. “However, if we are unable to significantly reduce the level of theft, we will need to close the market.” No timetable has been set for when Avenue C might be closed. A UBC spokesperson says a letter has been sent to students living in the area about the thefts and possible closure due to the number of thefts. However, exactly how much theft occurs is not shared with the public. “For security reasons, we are not going to disclose information related to items that have been retrieved,” Moore states. It adds that people who steal may be subject to an RCMP investigation and/or face consequences from the school under its own code of conduct, but does not say if any action has been taken. In early September, UBC sent alumni an email showing that more than 35 percent of undergraduates at the Vancouver campus “report not having consistent access to the foods they need to stay healthy,” raising concerns about support of the campus and student food bank. general food security situation. Vancouver Is Awesome has reached out to the UBC RCMP for comment and will update this story when new information becomes available.
