Non-medicinal cannabis companies looking to set up in North Saanich could pay as much as $500 in a proposed business fee.
The new fee is on the table at councilB次元官网网址檚 Monday, March 26 meeting, as councillors look at new bylaw amendments that help align North Saanich with the province on cannabis business zoning.
According to a staff report, North Saanich in 2015 amended its zoning and business bylaws to be consistent with the Agricultural Land Commission Act (ALCA). That Act permits medical marijuana production on ALR land. Now, the District is looking to align its bylaws with federal Bill C-45 (the Cannabis Act) and Bill C-46 (an amendment to the Criminal Code of Canada). Those two bills B次元官网网址� which will in essence legalize recreational cannabis B次元官网网址� are expected to pass in Ottawa later this year.
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North SaanichB次元官网网址檚 proposed changes would adjust wording in their bylaws to reflect the changes in law. Currently, the DistrictB次元官网网址檚 bylaws refer only to medicinal marijuana production and sales on ALR land. On the table is a change from language referring to B次元官网网址渕edical marijuanaB次元官网网址�, to B次元官网网址淎LR Cannabis production and saleB次元官网网址�.
North Saanich would still have a general prohibition on land uses involving cannabis, with the exemption for ALR land. The staff report points out that the municipality does not have the jurisdiction to overrule provincial and federal land use regulations. The BC Liberals, when they held government, made cannabis production on ALR land possible when they amended that ALCA in 2015.
North SaanichB次元官网网址檚 business license fees range from $75 (home-based) to $450 (winery). The proposed $500 fee could be the DistrictB次元官网网址檚 highest fee. The staff report says itB次元官网网址檚 based on the B次元官网网址渆stimated staff time required to process an applicationB次元官网网址� by a cannabis company. They looked at WhistlerB次元官网网址檚 fee ($165) and the City of Kelowna ($510), by way of example. The report also points out that while the City of Vancouver does not have a business license fee for cannabis production, it does ave a $30,000 retail dealers business license fee.
North SaanichB次元官网网址檚 council meeting starts at 7 p.m. at the chambers on Mills Road.
editor@peninsulanewsreview.com
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