After the public hearing on cannabis legalization on Oct. 23, 2018, Council unanimously voted to approve amendments to the smoking and vaping bylaw and the land use bylaw and will revisit the issue in the future.
The amendments to the smoking and vaping bylaw clarify where smoking and vaping is allowed and where cannabis consumption is allowed.
“Administration believes these amendments provide the necessary clarification and balance economic interests with community concerns that were heard through public consultation,” said Brad McMurdo, Director of Planning and Development.
Smoking and vaping tobacco is prohibited in designated places, which includes restaurants, recreation centres and schools and within 10 meters of entrances to institutions and public buildings, places of work and any public transportation property.
Cannabis consumption is prohibited in all places to which the public has access in including, roads, sidewalks and vehicles; the only exception is private property upon building owners approval.
The amendments to the land use bylaw are intended to allow more areas throughout the region to sell and produce cannabis, specifically in the central business district downtown and in the Taginova industrial park.
McMurdo also said that there are currently three applications for cannabis retails that have been approved, three that have been denied and another five that are still being process.
Many delegates spoke of their concerns about where cannabis retail stores can be located in the city and wanted the mandatory distances be decreased.
Councillor Krista Balsom also put forward a motion to address this at the next council meeting and adjust the separation distance from 150 meters to 100 meters for cannabis retail stores from schools, hospitals, childcare facilities and rehabilitation centres and update the separation distance so they are measured from a door-to-door system.
“I think we heard tonight that there’s some strong support in the business community to support economic development to move to the provincial standard of 100 meters,” said Balsom. “I certainly think it’s worth taking a closer look to encourage the business community in this matter, especially with downtown revitalization and to encourage people to buy legally.”
Councillor Keith McGrath also brought up the use of medical cannabis and public consumption.
“We’re going to be face with this situation after we pass this bylaw, because there are residents that use it to get them through the day, whether it be pain, or some people use it for anxiety, you know, I’m not a doctor but I know people have different prescriptions for different reasons.,” said McGrath. “So if we pass this bylaw, it would be nice to address it while we pass it, not wait for a couple of days from now and have a big charade of public outburst that we didn’t think about it.”
Mayor Don Scott Council mentioned directing Administration to go back and do research on this topic.
