Council to outline plans towards zoning for Cannabis retail opportunities in Prince Rupert

With the legalization of marijuana only days away from the October 17th launch date, the City of Prince Rupert will outline for the public some further background related to how they plan to address the issue of zoning for retail operations in the city.

Tonight's Council session will feature a report from City planner Mr. Zeno Krekic, who will concentrate mostly on the land use regulations that a zoning bylaw will address, which for now will focus on the retail concepts and not the commercial cultivation, or processing opportunities that may come with legalization on the 17th.

The City planners report will put in place the suggested area of the city where the retail sale of cannabis will be permitted, as well as the minimum distance between stores.

Towards those two themes, cannabis retail operations are recommended not extend further than the borders outline in the diagram below, with distance of 75 metres to be kept between another retail operation as measured in a straight line from entrance to entrance.

The city's proposed map where Cannabis retail stores will be allowed
to operate once the appropriate bylaws are put into effect and the introduction
of the business to the community is approved by City Council

The area designated for such operations would appear to run through the downtown core extending from Third Avenue to the waterfront, as well as from Eight Street in the West to Cow Bay region in the east.

The City will also be hosting a cannabis planning information meeting on Tuesday, November 13th,  from 5 to 7 PM at Coast Mountain College where the city will expand further on their plans and timelines for the industry in the community.

Council will consider the Krekic report this evening, and if they choose to, move forward with the recommendations to provide for first reading of the bylaw this evening.

Last week, Mayor Lee Brain took to his political social media feed, to observe that the process will be a gradual one for the community, and how on October 17th the use of cannabis may be legal, that does not mean that retail operations will open their doors any time soon.

The Mayor noted at the time that both the Federal and Provincial government continue to adjust their planning when it comes to cannabis and how the city would be taking a gradual approach to the issue.

Last Friday, the province offered up some evidence as to how they continue to review and refine their regulations related to cannabis, introducing the new and amended regulations that are now in place to support legal cannabis and prioritize the health and safety of British Columbians.

Among the rules put in place for consumption are parameters where you can and cannot consume cannabis.

If anyone wants to test the public consumption rules, it will prove costly with the province instituting a fine process consistent with existing liquor or tobacco violations. The province assessing a $230 dollar fine or smoking cannabis in public, while those who vape in prohibited public spaces will be issued at $58 violation.

And if one were thinking that they can consume while operating a motor vehicle or boat, think again, the new provincial rules pretty well rule out those options as well:

The full overview of the links to the Province's regulations and amendments can be found as part of Friday's announcement.

For more items of note related to tonight's Prince Rupert City Council session see our preview page here.

A wider overview of past civic issues and City Council Discussion themes can be reviewed from our archive page here.


Cross posted from the North Coast Review.