Public consumption of cannabis will not be allowed in Whitecourt

 

Following a series of opportunities for public consultation including an open house, online survey, and public input sessions at weekly council meetings, council has officially passed the second and third readings of Community Standards Bylaw 1475-1 which includes regulations to manage recreational use of cannabis in Whitecourt. They voted the bylaw into effect during the Tuesday, October 9 regular council meeting.

The possession, sale, and consumption of cannabis will be legalized by the federal government on Wednesday, October 17 and the local bylaw is set to come into effect on the same day. Provincial governments across the country set out standard laws surrounding the sale and usage of cannabis and municipalities were able to set stricter laws if they so chose.

Mayor Maryann Chichak said the results from the online survey showed overwhelming support for the proposed bylaw amendments. “We are satisfied that we are on the right track and recognize that we might have to address it in the upcoming months or years one way or another. We also talked about the fact that at the Alberta Municipalities Association Annual Conference a resolution was brought forward that requested the province bring in regulations for cannabis much like the tobacco and alcohol regulations that are standardized across the province. We are hoping that with the bylaw we have implemented that it will be one of the ones used as an example for the province, should it be considering regulations and standardization across the province.”

The vote was not a unanimous one for council as there was discussion around enforcement issues, what the cost would be, and if it the cost was prohibitive or not. In the end, most council members felt the bylaw should be passed as presented. Should enforcement become an issue in the future, council can make it a priority to find resolutions and amend the bylaw as needed.

“We could have decided not to pass anything and instead gone with the minimum standards that the province had proposed but the will of council was to have no public consumption and you have to start somewhere. As with any of our bylaws, any issues that arise from it will be addressed in the future. It’s a work in progress, not only for our municipality but for municipalities across Canada,” explained Mayor Chichak.

One of the biggest changes to the bylaw is that public consumption will not be allowed. “Once cannabis becomes legal on October 17, public consumption is not allowed. That includes municipal roads, sidewalks, rights of way, and parks. Public consumption is allowed on private property and that would include your own backyard. That was the stance taken by council. There is the possibility for various events that there could be special permitting allowed that would see cannabis smoking permitted but that is something that will happen in the future,” she added.

 

Only certain businesses across the country will be allowed to sell cannabis on October 17. In Alberta, there are 17 retailers that were issued interim cannabis licences and six of them are in Edmonton. None of the retailers in Whitecourt will be allowed to sell cannabis on opening day. “We have six applications that have been permitted but they are still waiting for their licencing from the Alberta Liquor & Gaming Commission. That’s totally out of our purview,” said Chichak.

The full details of Bylaw 1475-1 will soon be located on the town website at www.whitecourt.ca. Information on the bylaw will also be shared through the town’s social media accounts and throughout the community over the next few months.