Council vote on pot shops expected next week

Councillors await polling results

City council will receive its first major report of the term on Wednesday when staff table a comprehensive review of the new cannabis laws and the public’s appetite for legal pot shops in the capital.

Council has until Jan. 22 to decide if the City of Ottawa will opt out of having private retail storefronts, but it won’t wait that long to make up its mind. A vote is expected to happen next week.

The report will inform council’s decision to either allow cannabis retail outlets in Ottawa or keep them outside of the municipal boundary when the province allows storefronts to open starting on April 1.

The most interesting part of the cannabis report could be the public opinion research conducted by city hall.

The city collected feedback through a survey made available for about two weeks earlier this fall, and it commissioned polling.

Many councillors have been waiting to see the report before voicing an opinion on the prospect of pot shops in Ottawa.

The province isn’t allowing municipalities to regulate the locations of pot shops through zoning rules.

It is, however, mandating a 150-metre buffer between pot shops and schools.

The issue is so important for city hall that council will have a rare special meeting on Dec. 13.

Public delegates will be invited to give their opinions.

After council members have heard from the public and debated the issue, they’ll decide if Ottawa is in or out on storefront pot retail.

Council has the option of opting out right away but deciding later to allow pot stores.

However, under the provincial government’s rules, once a municipality has allowed legal pot stores, it can’t opt out.

The province has promised $40 million over two years to help municipalities with extra costs tied to the implementation of the cannabis retail system.