Three public meetings hosted by City of Powell River for exchanging information and receiving input about the legalization of cannabis will take place in May.
The first public meeting is Wednesday, May 9, at Evergreen Theatre. Additional meetings take place on Wednesday, May 16, at Max Cameron Theatre and at Italian Community Club Hall on Tuesday, May 22. All meetings will begin at 7 pm.
“Council has decided it wants to go to the public because this is such a change,” said city chief administrative officer Mac Fraser. “The legalization of cannabis is not a subtle change or a small change in our society, and the intent is to go out and ask before legislating.”
The meetings will provide residents with information on what the city’s municipal powers will be. They include veto power on all retail licence applications, and zoning where retail sales and stores will be allowed. Other local government responsibilities will include hours of operation, security and where people can smoke.
Fraser said the city hopes to have its bylaws in place by late summer, which is when the federal Cannabis Act is expected to become law.
“Council is hoping that through the consultation we're going to do and working hard on the available time, that we'll actually have some rules and regulations in place,” said Fraser. “It's not something that's a front-burner issue for everybody in the community but for those who it's important to, it's very important, so council said, ‘let's ask before we draft.’”
Powell River RCMP has been directly involved, according to Fraser and RCMP staff sergeant Rod Wiebe. Certain city bylaws are worded in such a way that it gives the RCMP authority to enforce them, said Wiebe.
“The noise bylaw is an example of this,” said Wiebe. “It is important for the police to have the capability to enforce the bylaw and it will add to an officer's ability to use discretion. Instead of being restricted to enforcing the provincial and federal laws, which are often considered more serious, we can consider proceeding under a municipal bylaw.”
Wiebe added that it will make for a more efficient police service and will be more in line with what the community will expect from the RCMP once cannabis is legalized.
On April 26, BC minister of public safety and solicitor general Mike Farnworth announced legislation for highly regulated pot sales under the province’s Cannabis Distribution Act. The act will regulate distribution and retail of non-medical cannabis the way liquor distribution and sales are managed, through the recently announced brand name BC Cannabis Stores.
The province has the final say on minimum age, public consumption, personal cultivation, possession limits and drug-affected driving.
“The date set by the federal government for cannabis legalization will just be the beginning,” said Farnworth, when he introduced the provincial legislation. “BC will monitor implementation and make any necessary adjustments to provincial regulations to ensure our provincial goals are being met.”
The province will also be launching a public awareness and education campaign related to health impacts of cannabis use and the risks of driving under the influence of drugs.
