As B.C.’s Solicitor-General, Port Coquitlam MLA Mike Farnworth, rolled out new cannabis rules this morning (Thursday) to prepare for the upcoming federal legalization of pot, Tri-City municipal staff say they’re also readying for the sale and production of recreational weed in their communities.
Monday, Coquitlam council will hear from the public on its proposal to continue to ban certain non-medical cannabis-related uses until the federal and provincial laws are in place, likely late summer.
Andrew Merrill, Coquitlam’s manager of community planning, said there’s still too much uncertainty at the senior government levels and, until there’s more resolution, the city wants an interim prohibition. It also wants to consult with residents and businesses before private and public shops set up, he said.
Merrill said he expects the sale of recreational pot to follow the same route as liquor — that is, with dispensaries away from schools and places of worship, and to have certain distances between one another.
Coquitlam city hall already has had some inquiries from companies wanting to sell and produce pot, and “we hope to have some policy in place by the end of the year,” Merrill told The Tri-City News.
In Port Coquitlam, which recently adopted changes to its smoking policy that include marijuana use in public places, city planner Jennifer Little also addressed the upcoming federal legislation at yesterday's sustainability and environment committee meeting in terms of retail and regulation.
A city study is underway “and we will also be reviewing how other municipalities in B.C. and the Lower Mainland are approaching cannabis retail sales,” she said, noting a committee report is due July 25.
And Port Moody council is set to talk about cannabis legislation at its May 15 committee of the whole meeting.
In February, PoMo council directed staff to seek legal advice and report back on proposed changes to bylaw, licensing, inspection, policing, fire, environmental and other requirements needed to open dispensaries as well as anticipated costs to the city and tax-sharing revenue models with the marijuana outlets.
At the news conference Thursday, Farnworth said the B.C. framework will be evolve as the province takes control of marijuana distribution under the Liquor Distribution Branch.
“This is a major, a significant change in public policy,” he told reporters. “There will be changes potentially unanticipated.”
The proposed Cannabis Distribution Act will establish B.C.’s exclusive jurisdiction over wholesale distribution of cannabis and provide authority for public retail sales while the proposed Cannabis Control and Licensing Act will outline restrictions on the possession, personal cultivation and consumption of cannabis by adults as well as prohibitions for minors. In addition, amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act will address drug-affected driving.
B.C.’s new regulations are dependent on the federal laws receiving Royal Assent.
A spokesperson for Ron McKinnon’s office in Ottawa said today the Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam Liberal MP spoke to Farnworth last December about the proposed non-medical cannabis legislation.
