Plante seeks quick deal with province on marijuana revenue
Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante says the recent agreement between Ottawa and Quebec on revenue sharing from the sale of legal marijuana now makes it “imperative” the province meet with the city as quickly as possible to establish how much of those funds will go to municipalities.
“I remind you that (legalization) is happening on July 1 — that’s very, very fast,” Plante told a meeting of the city’s executive committee on Wednesday.
“Since we don’t have an agreement including municipalities in the agreement between the federal government and the provinces, it’s imperative that negotiations begin quickly with the (Quebec) government.
“Given how quickly an agreement (on revenue sharing) was reached between the federal and provincial government, I’m convinced that the (Quebec) government has the same desire to as quickly reach an agreement with (its) municipalities.
“And I’ll be there to defend that very important dossier ... to have a direct source of revenue for the municipalities.”
Plante’s comments follow an agreement reached this week between federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau and his provincial counterparts over the sharing of tax revenue collected on legal marijuana.
After the provinces balked at the original idea of a 50-50 split, they eventually won a 75 per cent share based on the amount of expenditures — in resources and money — legalization will force upon provincial governments.
However, Quebec municipalities anticipate the same debate with the provincial government and based on the same argument — that their administrations are the ones providing the front-line services and legislation that will be required once cannabis is legalized.
Plante said her administration was already in contact with the Couillard government, and time is of the essence given the July 1 deadline.
“We need to be ready on the ground. We’re on the front line, and we are the ones that will have to deal with whatever direct impact is generated when this law legalizing cannabis goes into effect, and we take that very, very seriously,” she said.