While the public survey results indicate Collingwood residents may be ready to go full steam ahead in favour of opting-in to cannabis retail outlets in town, some questions from councillors Monday night indicated they are still kicking the tires before making a final decision.
Deputy Mayor Keith Hull asked questions about the budget for enforcement and how the public consultation survey was set up, before letting loose to express his frustration with the process.
“To members of the audience, I’m not trying to be ridiculous with these lines of questioning. We have legislation that relates to gaming, alcohol, and now cannabis, and quite frankly, as someone who has followed politics, I don’t care if you follow Liberal, NDP or Conservative, this has probably been the most half-assed, backwards piece of legislation,” he said during the Strategic Initiatives Committee meeting last night (Jan. 7).
“And here we are tonight, trying to figure out details as it relates to how we’re going to perform with a simple opt-in or opt-out about a store that may or may not come, because now it’s been legislated that for the first round, only (communities with) 50,000 residents have that opportunity through a lottery legislated by a government that is pro-business but has put in some of the most anti-business legislation as it relates to cannabis... It’s backwards. It’s impossible,” said Hull.
Of the 1,420 people who filled out the online survey, 66 per cent (944) of them said they would strongly support having cannabis retail stores in Collingwood. Another 11 per cent (155) said they would somewhat support it.
There were 15 people who said they didn’t know, and 18 per cent of respondents said they were strongly opposed to retail stores, while three per cent said they were somewhat opposed.
The survey, which closed on Dec. 31, asked the public to weigh in on cannabis use and sales in Collingwood in advance of the opt-out deadline of Jan. 22. Each municipality in the province has one chance to opt-out of having retail stores, but that must be done by Jan. 22. After that, the municipality may opt-in later, but cannot opt-out again.
Hull asked Clerk Sara Almas for more information about how the online survey was conducted.
“Were those 1,400 unique responses? Or, is it possible we’ve got two or three individuals who have visited more than once?” asked Hull.
Clerk Sara Almas responded that the survey could only be completed once per IP address.
Some councils have already made decisions regarding the issue. Within Simcoe County, Tay Township and the Town of Wasaga Beach recently added their names to the list of municipalities opting out which also include Mississauga, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Markham. Opting in so far are Huntsville, Owen Sound, Guelph, Orangeville and Sudbury.
While most of the resident comments made during the public deputation portion of Monday’s meeting tended to come out in favour of opting in, nearly all of the sitting councillors asked questions to try to get a better grasp on what opting in would mean for the town.
Coun. Kathy Jeffery asked questions about the mapping provided in the staff report, asking for an overlay of the buffer zones over the commercial zoning to see where they might intersect.
Coun. Yvonne Hamlin had parks on her mind, saying she’d like them to be considered as sensitive uses.
“Is it possible if council decides to opt-in to have more time to consider sensitive uses that we would want to be taken into account?” she asked.
Coun. Mariane McLeod asked about the bylaw enforcement budget and who was supplying signage about accepted usage to be put up around town.
Clerk Sara Almas responded that the County of Simcoe is providing signage at this point.
“As a retailer, I’m always going to vote for free enterprise,” said Coun. Bob Madigan. “It’s legal, and the province backs that up. My point is, we want to know what we’re voting on.”
In an effort to get everyone on the same page in terms of understanding exactly what issue will be before council next week, Mayor Brian Saunderson tried to clear things up.
“I think the crux of the matter that we’re confronted with here is, marijuana is legal. You can get it online. You could also buy it black market. The risk with the black market is that it’s laced with something like fentanyl. We’re also looking at... if you opt out, you’re written out of the funding,” said Mayor Brian Saunderson.
“You will not get any profit sharing. The crux of the matter, as I distil it, is if we opt in at this point in time, we know we won’t get a store in Phase 1. It’s disturbing that we don’t get control.”
Council will vote at their Jan. 14 meeting whether to opt-in or opt-out of allowing retail cannabis outlets in Collingwood.
For our story about the cannabis survey results, click here.
- with files from Erika Engel
