The Town of Black Diamond is looking for public opinion as it prepares for the upcoming legalization of cannabis.
Last week, administration and council established a timeline of events to prepare for the legalization of non-medicinal marijuana, which the federal government indicates will occur by the end of this summer.
The first order of business is a public survey on the Town’s website from April 23 to May 4.
Responses to a list of questions will be considered as administration creates and amends land use bylaws, definitions, regulations and zoning for council at its June 6 meeting.
“We must be prepared for operations to start by mid-August,” Denice Stewart, Black Diamond development officer, told council at its April 18 meeting. “Administration is currently working on land use bylaw amendments with the goal of being able to consider applications for retail cannabis stores, counselling services and production facilities following legalization by the federal government.”
Stewart said the Province is responsible for deciding how non-medicinal cannabis will be distributed and sold while municipalities are tasked with developing policies and regulations, which must be in compliance with Bill 26, an act to regulate cannabis.
To prepare for the coming legalization, the Town created a group of representatives from legislative services to draft the bylaws, protective services to address enforcement, firefighters to establish rules around fire inspections for grow operations and parks and recreation to help establish rules around public consumption.
“The next step would be to establish general use regulations,” Stewart told council. “We need to determine where, within our community, we want to allow cannabis-related businesses.”
The federal government requires retail businesses be 100 metres or more from schools and health-care facilities. Municipalities can increase that and establish setbacks from daycares, churches and community centres if they choose, she said.
Stewart added that the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA) is working on draft bylaws and regulations to provide guidelines for communities. She said they’re expected to be available by May 22.
Following the presentation of bylaws and amendments to council on June 6, Stewart said a public hearing will be held in either late June or early July, followed by further changes, if needed, as a result of public input.
Black Diamond Mayor Ruth Goodwin said she feels good about the process.
“We’ve got a plan in place to move forward with being able to prepare our community for the legalization that will come into place,” she said. “We’re working as a team. We have planning and development, public works, parks, bylaw involved so everyone is able to share their perspective. By July we should have everything in place.”
Goodwin added council and administration are working closely with Turner Valley in preparing for the legalization of cannabis.
“It’s a fairly large project for a small community to deal with,” she said. “We want to make sure our bylaws resemble one another.”
Having the public involved in the process is key to making it a success, added Goodwin.
“It’s really important to hear the different perspectives people have,” she said. “I hope they take the time to fill out the survey and if they want to expand upon the answers they can get in touch with their council to have that conversation.”
Goodwin said getting the public involved also serves as an educational tool.
“For a lot of people, this is where they’re going to be interacting on a municipal level about cannabis,” she said. “They need to understand what the rules and regulations are and where people can and cannot smoke it and use it.”
The production, sale and use of non-medical cannabis is not yet licensed or permitted, therefore the Town is currently not accepting applications from businesses for the retail sale of cannabis and related products.
