Cities ban cannabis in public spaces
West Island cities are drawing lines in the sand when it comes to smoking pot in public.
Pointe-Claire’s bylaw forbidding cannabis consumption in all public places came into force on Oct. 17, the same day cannabis was legalized across Canada.
The pot ban, which city council adopted Oct. 2, covers a wider area of municipal facilities and public spaces.
“As with alcohol consumption, it will be forbidden to consume cannabis on sidewalks, bicycle paths, pedestrian trails, parks, and in all outdoor aquatic and sports facilities, including municipal buildings,” said Pointe-Claire Mayor John Belvedere.
The penalties/fines for a first offence range from $500 to $1,500, and from $1,000 to $3,000 for a repeat offence.
Pointe-Claire’s Inspection-Public Security (IPS) Department and Montreal police (SPVM) will be responsible for enforcing compliance with the bylaw.
“We are counting on everyone’s co-operation to ensure this new bylaw is followed, for the benefit of all,” Belvedere said.
Pointe-Claire also noted that the sale of cannabis by the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) is “permitted in commercial zones throughout the city.”
In Beaconsfield, city council recently adopted an amendment to the city’s nuisance bylaw, adding new provisions concerning smoking on Beaconsfield’s territory. The bylaw amendment covers cannabis, cigarettes and electronic cigarettes.
The nuisance bylaw now stipulates that “smoking tobacco products as well as any other products or substances, whether natural or chemical, that may be smoked by any means, including electronic cigarettes or any other device of this nature is prohibited on public property, excluding streets, alleys and sidewalks.”
Baie-D’Urfé also recently adopted an amendment to its nuisances regulation.
As for cannabis and alcoholic beverages, the bylaw amendment says: “The use of cannabis or any product derived from this drug including decapsulated alcoholic beverages is strictly prohibited in any public places in Baie-D’Urfé.”
Violations will be sanctioned by fines, the town said.
Baie-D’Urfé’s definition of “smoking” now stands as: “Possessing a tobacco product, cannabis or other ignited substance, such as a cigarette, cigar, pipe, a bong or other lit device that is used to smoke tobacco, cannabis or any other substance and also includes the use of an electronic cigarette or any other device of this nature.”