BY connie Tabbert
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION — If you apply for a licence to operate a store to sell cannabis (pot, marijuana) in Whitewater Region, let’s hope you win the lottery draw.
Council passed a resolution at its development and planning committee meeting last night to allow the sale of pot in the township, to have a Municipal Cannabis Retail Policy Statement prepared; and to request that the County of Renfrew allocate its share of the Opt-In funding to participating lower-tier municipalities.
“This is not about whether cannabis is legal or not,” Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay said, noting, “That was a federal decision as of Oct. 17.”
The provincial government is providing the opportunity for municipal councils to decide if they do or do not want stores selling cannabis in their township. If council opts in, it will receive $5,000 as part of the implementation program and the county will also receive $5,000, he said. However, since there would be no associated costs for the county, the township is asking that its $5,000 share be given to it, he explained.
“We have all the associated costs with regards to this, specifically as it relates to policing,” CAO Tremblay said.
While CAO Tremblay is not aware of any other Renfrew County municipal councils that have agreed to sell cannabis, there are some councils who have discussed it, such as Pembroke and Bonnechere Valley.
If council agrees to allow the sale, the policy statement would set out council’s position on where it would prefer stores to be located, although, it does not have a final say, he explained.
“It’s a statement, and in the very short review period, when an application occurs within the township, we’d be able to forward on to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), our concerns,” he said.
To be licensed is a three-step process, CAO Tremblay said. There is the approval of the operator; approval of the location; and the licensing of the store, he said.
There will be a limit of 25 licences across the province in the first phase, which is occurring this spring, he said. It will be determined by a lottery draw as to who will be operating the stores, he added.
CAO Tremblay said the township currently does not have smoking bylaws dealing with smoking in public parks, so that will have to be addressed, and the human resources policy will have to be updated to include a policy regarding cannabis use and employees.
In the package for council, CAO Tremblay also provided cannabis information from the Renfrew County and District Health Unit, a summary from the county regarding cannabis, AGCO standards for retail stores, information from the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and the Minister of Finance.
Councillor Dave Mackay questioned how policing could be affected.
“There’s no law,” he said. “It’s a legal product now like beer or liquor.”
The township pays $1.1 million towards policing costs and “they have their hands out all the time,” Coun. Mackay said, adding, “They’re worse than the school board. I just get sick of this all the time.”
Policing costs could be affected because there could be an increase in calls for service, and the township is billed on those calls, CAO Tremblay said.
Councillor Neil Nicholson questioned who enforces complaints by neighbours and CAO Tremblay said since the township has no nuisance bylaw, people will call the police.
When Mayor Mike Moore questioned Reeve Cathy Regier if this issue has been discussed, or will be discussed, at a county council meeting, she advised there has been no county meeting yet, but orientation is happening later this month.
“I have no idea,” she said, adding, “I have not been apprised of anything.”
When the mayor asked if other county municipalities have discussed the cannabis issue, CAO Tremblay reiterated that as far as he is concerned, Pembroke and Bonnechere Valley councils have discussed it, but not made a decision.
“Many municipalities are in the same boat as we are in terms of a new council and a new year,” he said. “I’m sure in the next couple of weeks we’ll hear from other townships.”
Since council agreed in the committee meeting to allow for the legal selling of cannabis in the township, the recommendation will again be discussed at the Jan. 16 council meeting, CAO Tremblay said. This will allow council members to discuss the issue with residents over the next two weeks, he said. A decision will have to be made at the next council meeting, as the province needs an answer by Jan. 22.
This is interesting but isn’t the CAO a way too late to do this especially on trying to negotiate getting the county’s $5000 signing bonus. The provinces deal expires on Jan 22 so to try and push this thru especially if the Reeve isn’t up to speed seems unlikely. My thought is that the CAO have been better off to go after the more lucrative market of getting a percentage back from the sales versus a meager deal that the province is offering to start with. Some of the bigger areas were attempting to get 2 or 3 percent which would dwarf a meager 5k in no time. The other interesting aspect is that the provinces deal excludes the township from trying to re-negotiate at a later date, and you don’t get to say where the shop is located. It might be better for the township to let this one die on the drawing board and work on getting a more beneficial deal for the township.
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