Collingwood council will be considering cannabis at its next regular meeting.
Clerk Sara Almas has prepared a report for council’s Oct. 15 meeting, which takes place two days before recreational marijuana use becomes legal in Canada.
But there’s another deadline looming: January 22, 2019, is the final day for Canadian municipalities to opt-out of allowing retail cannabis outlets within their jurisdiction.
This is a one-time opportunity for a town to opt out of cannabis retail in the community. The town can opt-in at any time via a resolution passed by council, but would not be able to opt-out again after that. Once a town allows retail cannabis, there’s no option for prohibiting it again.
The Ministry of Finance will be tracking municipal governments that opt-out and those municipalities may not receive the same portion of cannabis tax as those that have allowed cannabis retail stores. Licensing of the stores will be the responsibility of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).
According to Almas’ report, the AGCO will establish a process for licensing and store authorization in municipalities that are allowing retail cannabis, and municipal official plans, zoning approvals, and licensing bylaws will therefore not apply. Her report further states the AGCO would provide municipal governments and the public with 15 days notification of a proposed store in order to receive public input.
Almas’ report recommends council allow staff to seek out public consultation and gather input from residents on whether or not to allow cannabis outlets in Collingwood. She said the information gathered, should council approve her recommendation, would be provided to Collingwood’s new council to make a decision prior to the Jan. 22 deadline.
The recommendations further suggest prohibiting cannabis advertising, promotion, or sponsorship in or on any town-owned, leased or rented property until further review.
Council will vote on the clerk’s recommendations on Oct. 15.
While cannabis use will be legal on Oct. 17, the sale of recreational use marijuana is limited to online sales by provincial sites including the Ontario Cannabis Store. It’s expected there will be an Ontario private retail model established by April 1, 2019, to allow bricks-and-mortar stores to sell marijuana.
According to Almas’ report, the town’s human resources division is reviewing a draft Substance Use Policy for the town to incorporate medicinal and recreational cannabis as it relates to the town’s employees and responsibilities as an employer.
The Oct. 15 council meeting begins at 5 p.m. in the council chambers on the second floor of town hall. The meetings are open to the public, but there is not always an opportunity for the public to speak during a council meeting.
There will be cannabis awareness event next week hosted by OPP and the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit at the Leisure Time Club on Minnesota Street in Collingwood on Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 6:30 to 8:30. It’s being advertised as a free community awareness session with information on laws, rules, effects of cannabis, and resources available.
