With Cannabis now legal in Canada, Chestermere Council met on Oct. 15 to review all bylaws regarding the substance in the community.
“We knew from the start we probably wouldn’t get it 100 per cent right the first time, we still have the opportunity to modify once we have some experience,” said Chestermere Mayor Marshall Chalmers.
“We tried to listen to the comments from the public, we tried to find that middle ground,” Chalmers added.
Among the bylaws discussed during the public meeting included rules any Cannabis retail stores are to abide by, hours or operation, and permits residents need in order to grow cannabis plants in their homes.
It was agreed that Cannabis retail stores must have a 150m buffer zone between the retail store and a sensitive area, which includes schools and any provincial health care facilities.
In addition, Cannabis retail stores cannot be within 50m of another Cannabis retailer, the bike park, skateboard park, public library or child care facilities.
During the multiple hour-long council meeting a hot topic for debate was whether to have buffer zones between a Cannabis retail store and a sensitive area at all if the public beaches are not addressed in the bylaw.
“I’m going to shed a little light. I don’t have a problem with retail sites beside the lake or park,” said Chestermere Councilor Michelle Young.
She added, “If there is a shop close to a park or the lake, and a purchaser purchases they cannot go outside and immediately use it without breaking the consumption bylaw.”
Councilor Yvette Wagner added, “If that’s the thinking, why have any buffers? The beaches are full of kids, the water front is full of kids. What’s the difference if it’s next to a school? Next to a day care? You’re not consuming it, you’re just buying it.”
Chestermere resident for over two decades, and medical cannabis clinic owner said, “I think it’s unjust to have so many boundaries where a cannabis retailor can be, when there is already very limited commercial rental space available.”
The city stated cannabis retailers are not allowed near sensitive areas, but the marina where many families go to rent water recreational activities was not mentioned, along with the Sylvan Learning Centre, where youth of all ages will be, Wilson said.
“I believe councils approval has limited the opportunity for local entrepreneurship in our community,” he added.
The bylaws are a good start for Chestermere, but the city should make changes to their policies in the future, Wilson added, a greater emphasis on educating the community needs to be put into place.
“The stricter we are, the more stigma we are going to create,” he added.
Along with cannabis retail stores opening in Chestermere, residents can also grow up to four cannabis plants in their homes as per the Canadian federal law. However, residents must obtain a Chestermere municipal permit and register their home as a cannabis cultivation site.
“With Christmas around the corner, and poinsettia that are going to be readily available for families why don’t they have a permit for them?
“My cat got into one last year, and we had to put him down so there’s more of a risk to other parts of households than what the cannabis plant can do,” Wilson added, “With four plants, why don’t we just have a permit to have plants in our house in general. I think it’s absolutely ludacris.”
Wilson added, “Cannabis is now legal in our country, we need to focus on breaking the stigma and properly educating the community about the benefits and risks involved with cannabis.”
