Marijuana has become B次元官网网址榗annabisB次元官网网址� in North Saanich and producers will have to pay a $500 business license fee, but a discussion on legislative changes turned into a debate on how the District might seek an injunction against the province and Ottawa.
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North Saanich Councillor Jack McClintock served notice that he will ask the council at its next meeting to seek a legal opinion from municipal lawyers on whether they are bound by the provinceB次元官网网址檚 permitted uses of agricultural land B次元官网网址� and the federal governmentB次元官网网址檚 legalization of recreational cannabis, for that matter.
McClintock said heB次元官网网址檚 concerned the province overstepped its direction to municipalities in 2015 when the then-Liberal government made cannabis production a permitted use of land within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR).
B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址� They can prohibit uses on ALR,B次元官网网址� he said, B次元官网网址渂ut I donB次元官网网址檛 believe they have the authority to tell us what we should be doing with the ALR.B次元官网网址�
He said he believes itB次元官网网址檚 incumbent on municipalities to contact legal advisers to see what action can be taken against the province, and find out of an injunction is possible B次元官网网址� and extend it to the federal government.
B次元官网网址淚 think itB次元官网网址檚 time we have to take a stand on this, and we need to take a legal stand. Our voice has been pretty weak.B次元官网网址�
North SaanichB次元官网网址檚 Chief Administrative Officer noted that staff have been pretty clear that their understanding is B.C. and Ottawa have the legal authority on the matter. Rob Buchan added staff would need councilB次元官网网址檚 direction in order to proceed.
McClintock wasnB次元官网网址檛 the only one wishing to take action against all forms of cannabis being allowed on ALR land. Mayor Alice Finall said she plans to seeking councilB次元官网网址檚 assent at the next meeting to add its voice to that of Central Saanich and a community group formed to fight cannabis cultivation on farmland.
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She said the provinceB次元官网网址檚 policy change on ALR land came after the District had already passed a bylaw that would have prohibited the growing of medical marijuana on ALR land. However, she wants North Saanich to write a letter to the province and the federal government, asking that the growing of cannabis not be allowed on ALR land in B.C.
B次元官网网址淏.C. is B次元官网网址� the only province that has in place a process and laws to protect farmland,B次元官网网址� she said, referring to the ALR and her desire to see Ottawa grant the province an exemption, limiting cannabis production to industrial land.
Coun. Murray Weisenberger said a recent Peninsula Agricultural Commission meeting raised the issue as well.
B次元官网网址淪ome donB次元官网网址檛 want marijuana, but are they OK with grapes for wine,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淲here do we stand on this? Are we out protecting farmland, or is it something else driving us?B次元官网网址�
Coun. Celia Stock said factory cannabis growing is taking place in industrial settings in places like SmithB次元官网网址檚 Falls, Ontario and Stock wants it to stay on industrial land.
B次元官网网址淚 feel we have to get the province to change their mind on this,B次元官网网址� Stock said. B次元官网网址淧eople donB次元官网网址檛 want this stuff growing all around them.B次元官网网址�
Council, in a 6-1 vote at the committee level, approved bylaws to rename marijuana as cannabis, reflecting expected changes in federal law, and to create a $500 business licence fee for producers of medical or recreational cannabis.
The notices of motion from Finall and McClintock are expected at councilB次元官网网址檚 April 9 committee of the whole meeting.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
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