Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
With cannabis and marijuana products proposed to be legal, there are more questions than answers as to how the Fort will be affected come Canada Day 2018.
During the June 27 regular city council meeting, the city's senior legislative officer, Robert Stephenson provided council an update on the work being done to prepare for the legalization of cannabis. Most notably, a department-based task force will investigate legal weed's impact on regulation, education, and consumption.
In mid-April, the Canadian Government introduced bills C-45 and C-46 in the House of Commons to legalize cannabis across the country by July 1, 2018.
"Cannabis is still illegal. It's not legal until the bill goes through and the legislation is proclaimed and with that administration we're moving forward, we're reviewing these changes as we go forward and our goal is to have a more detailed package to provide council in 2018," said Stephenson.
The impacts legalization of cannabis would have on Fort Saskatchewan include education, taxation, retail location and rules, public consumption, land use and zoning, enforcement and revising existing municipal bylaw and documents to match up with the new legislation.
With the legalization of cannabis coming within a year, the City of Fort Saskatchewan created a task force consisting of members from multiple departments and include the following monitored items:
- People Services: Occupational Health & Safety: Drug and Alcohol Policy will be reviewed and updated as necessary to reflect the changes. The Return to Work Process and modified duties are reviewed on a case by case basis and the city's accommodation practices will be review and updated as necessary.
- Planning and Development: Co-location of other items with cannabis sales is being reviewed. An assessment of appropriate permit fees will commence once more information is known. Reviewing appropriate land use approaches in regards to zoning and how to buffer from sensitive uses. The city's building inspector will also receive further training.
- Economic Development: Given the current information, the business license fee should not be changed. Business licenses should not be use as a disincentive, they are a useful tool to gather information. The development permit is where many issues would be more appropriately addressed.
- Legislative Services: The possible development of a Smoking Bylaw as a tool for enforcement. Agreements and leases that the city is a party to may need revisions representing changes to legislation. Review the impact in regards to any landlord-tenant relationships as well as how cannabis products will be used on city-owned lands.
- Protective Services: Develop how to detect impairment. Educate youth on risk associated with the cannabis through the school resource officer and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program. Staffing capacity in regards to training and enforcement could be affected.
- Family and Community Support Services: Produce appropriate public education sessions with senior liaison staff. The youth coordinator will create awareness through the PART program (Prevent Alcohol & Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) about harm reduction and short and long-term impacts of smoking. Education will also take place in the community garden to outline residents cannot grow cannabis in their community plots. Mental health and staff capacity could be impacted.
- Culture: Prepare for the impending change to Canada Day celebrations and other outdoor events and how they will be permitted and managed.
- and Communications: the development of a unified and cohesive internal and external communications plan that aligns all departments.
At the provincial level, legislative impacts would include; impaired driving, product (cultivation and processing), public health, education, taxation, workplace health and safety, distribution and wholesaling, retail model, retail location and rules, regulatory compliance, and public consumption. The NDP government is currently conducting an online public survey to gather further feedback and information.
"We're essentially waiting on how they're going to proceed and they're waiting to see how the federal legislation is going to go through, so it's essentially a waiting game," noted Stephenson.
Coun. Sheldon Bossert recalled how he attempted to put forward a motion banning smoking cigarettes in public places two years ago and wondered how weed would be enforced, whether smoked or consumed.
"Would I be correct in assuming children and public places would be looked out for with cannabis use and second hand smoke?" Asked Bossert.
'It depends on the way the province takes their approach on it," Stephenson responded, "We're simply unsure until we know exactly that the province is going to move forward with it and they way the federal legislation is structured. It's hard to say one way or another where that line will be drawn."
Coun. Birgit Blizzard wondered about taxation and how they would go about it, since alcohol is not taxed by the municipality. This was also a shared concern of city administration.
"We were wondering about that too. That's one of the items that when the province has gone through and identified some key areas of such... We're hoping to get further clarification as we go through. We simply don't have it at this time," responded Stephenson.
She also wondered if there was consideration to treat cannabis like alcohol.
Stephenson said they have to figure that out and want things done in a way that will respect the public. The province is also reviewing that enforcement issue as well.
Another question asked by councillor Arjun Randhawa was whether from a dollars perspective "do we get funding of any sorts to actually educate and having to spend money because of the government policy change or does the taxation revenue only go to the high levels of government?"
Stephenson replied with that it is unclear at this time at the federal level how funds will be broken down and who would get what at this time.
"We have so many, we don't knows," he added.
The local department-based task force will inform council concerning any changes or additional details surrounding the legalization of cannabis.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: City hazy on future cannabis legalization | Fort Saskatchewan Record
Author: Leanne Delong
Contact: Contact-us | Fort Saskatchewan Record
Photo Credit: Suns-Prod Images
Website: Fort Saskatchewan Record
During the June 27 regular city council meeting, the city's senior legislative officer, Robert Stephenson provided council an update on the work being done to prepare for the legalization of cannabis. Most notably, a department-based task force will investigate legal weed's impact on regulation, education, and consumption.
In mid-April, the Canadian Government introduced bills C-45 and C-46 in the House of Commons to legalize cannabis across the country by July 1, 2018.
"Cannabis is still illegal. It's not legal until the bill goes through and the legislation is proclaimed and with that administration we're moving forward, we're reviewing these changes as we go forward and our goal is to have a more detailed package to provide council in 2018," said Stephenson.
The impacts legalization of cannabis would have on Fort Saskatchewan include education, taxation, retail location and rules, public consumption, land use and zoning, enforcement and revising existing municipal bylaw and documents to match up with the new legislation.
With the legalization of cannabis coming within a year, the City of Fort Saskatchewan created a task force consisting of members from multiple departments and include the following monitored items:
- People Services: Occupational Health & Safety: Drug and Alcohol Policy will be reviewed and updated as necessary to reflect the changes. The Return to Work Process and modified duties are reviewed on a case by case basis and the city's accommodation practices will be review and updated as necessary.
- Planning and Development: Co-location of other items with cannabis sales is being reviewed. An assessment of appropriate permit fees will commence once more information is known. Reviewing appropriate land use approaches in regards to zoning and how to buffer from sensitive uses. The city's building inspector will also receive further training.
- Economic Development: Given the current information, the business license fee should not be changed. Business licenses should not be use as a disincentive, they are a useful tool to gather information. The development permit is where many issues would be more appropriately addressed.
- Legislative Services: The possible development of a Smoking Bylaw as a tool for enforcement. Agreements and leases that the city is a party to may need revisions representing changes to legislation. Review the impact in regards to any landlord-tenant relationships as well as how cannabis products will be used on city-owned lands.
- Protective Services: Develop how to detect impairment. Educate youth on risk associated with the cannabis through the school resource officer and Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program. Staffing capacity in regards to training and enforcement could be affected.
- Family and Community Support Services: Produce appropriate public education sessions with senior liaison staff. The youth coordinator will create awareness through the PART program (Prevent Alcohol & Risk-Related Trauma in Youth) about harm reduction and short and long-term impacts of smoking. Education will also take place in the community garden to outline residents cannot grow cannabis in their community plots. Mental health and staff capacity could be impacted.
- Culture: Prepare for the impending change to Canada Day celebrations and other outdoor events and how they will be permitted and managed.
- and Communications: the development of a unified and cohesive internal and external communications plan that aligns all departments.
At the provincial level, legislative impacts would include; impaired driving, product (cultivation and processing), public health, education, taxation, workplace health and safety, distribution and wholesaling, retail model, retail location and rules, regulatory compliance, and public consumption. The NDP government is currently conducting an online public survey to gather further feedback and information.
"We're essentially waiting on how they're going to proceed and they're waiting to see how the federal legislation is going to go through, so it's essentially a waiting game," noted Stephenson.
Coun. Sheldon Bossert recalled how he attempted to put forward a motion banning smoking cigarettes in public places two years ago and wondered how weed would be enforced, whether smoked or consumed.
"Would I be correct in assuming children and public places would be looked out for with cannabis use and second hand smoke?" Asked Bossert.
'It depends on the way the province takes their approach on it," Stephenson responded, "We're simply unsure until we know exactly that the province is going to move forward with it and they way the federal legislation is structured. It's hard to say one way or another where that line will be drawn."
Coun. Birgit Blizzard wondered about taxation and how they would go about it, since alcohol is not taxed by the municipality. This was also a shared concern of city administration.
"We were wondering about that too. That's one of the items that when the province has gone through and identified some key areas of such... We're hoping to get further clarification as we go through. We simply don't have it at this time," responded Stephenson.
She also wondered if there was consideration to treat cannabis like alcohol.
Stephenson said they have to figure that out and want things done in a way that will respect the public. The province is also reviewing that enforcement issue as well.
Another question asked by councillor Arjun Randhawa was whether from a dollars perspective "do we get funding of any sorts to actually educate and having to spend money because of the government policy change or does the taxation revenue only go to the high levels of government?"
Stephenson replied with that it is unclear at this time at the federal level how funds will be broken down and who would get what at this time.
"We have so many, we don't knows," he added.
The local department-based task force will inform council concerning any changes or additional details surrounding the legalization of cannabis.
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: City hazy on future cannabis legalization | Fort Saskatchewan Record
Author: Leanne Delong
Contact: Contact-us | Fort Saskatchewan Record
Photo Credit: Suns-Prod Images
Website: Fort Saskatchewan Record
