The Federal Government launched a review of the Federal Cannabis Act in September, asking for the contribution of local government towards any feedback that they may have on local issues related to the Act.
The review which will be led by a federal panel has six themes it plans to focus on:
Impacts of legalization on youth;
Ensuring legal access to cannabis products for adults;
Preventing illegal activity and displacing the illicit market;
Impacts of legalization on the access to cannabis for medical purposes;
Impacts of legalization on Indigenous people and communities;
Impacts from the home cultivation of non-medical cannabis.
Towards the public engagement process, the Federal Government has released a discussion paper Taking stock of progress: Cannabis legalization and regulation in Canada.
The Federal review will be in two phases and will be informed by an online public engagement process which residents can access here.
The current Federal engagement program did not make for conversation at recent City Council sessions and the previous City Council did not indicate during its final month at the helm as to whether they had taken up the Federal call towards consultation.
The newly elected Council took office on Monday evening, that session was one of ceremony with no discussion of governance themes or policy plans.
The topic of Cannabis concerns in the community did frame some of the discussion from the recent municipal election period.
The issue was also raised with NDP leader Jagmeent Singh earlier this month, with the North Coast Labour Council advocating for action on local concerns.
Their notes for the NDP leader calling for the topic to be raised at the national level
FIX THE “MEDICAL” CANNABIS PRODUCTION LOOPHOLE – LET PRINCE RUPERT AND OTHER CITIES REGULATE INDUSTRIAL CANNABIS PRODUCTION
Unregulated and large-scale production of cannabis endangers our community and threatens the local environment.
Every municipality should be allowed to regulate where industry will be located within the city, yet “medical” cannabis producers have moved into the downtown and neighbourhoods of our city without any regulation by the city, province, or federal government. If this can happen here, it can happen anywhere.
The North is not a dumping ground for unwanted or unregulated industry.
The NDP should raise this at the national level to address our community’s need to be able to regulate industry within the city. It is a shame that this loophole continues to wreak havoc on our community. --- North Coast Labour Council notes for NDP leader Jagmeet Singh from early November
The local labour organization may also want to submit those comments to the ongoing Federal Government engagement process.
UBCM recently made note of the engagement opportunity, with more details on the Federal plans available here.
No timeline has been released towards the process, but the Minister will table a report in both Houses of Parliament no later than 18 months after the start of the review.
The topic has been one frequently raised with Council in the past, some of the notes can be explored below:
August 24 -- Council to share ongoing concerns over Cannabis regulations with Health Canada as review of program gets underway
August 24 -- Prince Rupert Fire/Rescue to return to Fire Inspection program with new measures in place
May 30 -- Council to receive report on Cannabis Regulation and what City may or may not be able to do about it
More items of note from Council can be explored through our archive page.
"regulate industry within the city"?
ReplyDeleteNo thank you, this resident would rather have our city follow Surrey's lead and mirror their by laws to make the medical cannabis industry feel unwelcome in our downtown core.
https://www.surrey.ca/sites/default/files/bylaws/BYL_reg_15820.pdf
Relying on the federal NDP and their 25 seats to influence regulatory changes in the Cannabis industry will not improve our downtown.
Well, I think you might wait a long time for the city to take action, there are still 5 out of 6 councilors that collectively could of taken action. What's changed?
ReplyDeleteSteps are being taken, our fire chief has made recommendations. City Hall is putting bylaw language together to present to council, which will require three readings by council before adoption.
DeleteThis bylaw should have been prioritized ahead of others, but the last fire and subsequent investigation put some heat on city hall to act.
If established, a bylaw will at least give the city a chance to act on these medicinal cannabis operations.
It is to bad this action was not taken a couple of years ago. Right now the city doesn’t seem to be doing very good in bylaw enforcement.
DeleteYou might need to be patient for the city to initiate any action, considering that there are still five out of six councilors who, collectively, could have taken steps. What factors have changed in the meantime?
ReplyDelete