MacFarlane calls for funds to support policing costs with legal cannabis

Progressive Conservative interim leader Karla MacFarlane says the McNeil government must provide financial support to municipalities that will be bearing policing costs for cannabis enforcement.

Friday, MacFarlane introduced a bill in the Legislature that would provide funding for municipalities to cover any increased policing costs attributed to the legalization of cannabis.

“With the tight timeline and no clarity on how the provincial Liberals intend to legislate and regulate the sale of cannabis, municipalities are worried they will be left with the increased costs of policing cannabis,” says MacFarlane. “We want to see strong enforcement of the new rules around cannabis and that means providing people on the frontlines with the proper training and support to detect impaired driving and protect public safety.”

According to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, additional policing costs would be about $2.25 million to $3.25 million per 500,000 people.

MacFarlane says this is the right thing to do to keep our local communities safe.

“We urge the Liberal government to commit to this additional funding for municipal policing,” says MacFarlane. “Cannabis legalization is being rammed through and we’re still waiting to see a plan from the Liberal government as to how they are going to implement these massive changes. We want to see strong safety protocols in place to protect our youth.”