3 options for licensed medical marijuana facilities before Wainfleet council

Township planning staff will present the mayor and council three options to deal with licensed medical marijuana facilities in Wainfleet during a report to come before council tonight. The report comes after residents on Wilford Road, east of Regional Road 24, appeared twice in front of council over a proposed medical marijuana facility — that is not licensed — at the end of their road. Township planner Sarah Ivins’ report says Wainfleet has two current regulations to govern medical marijuana facilities — a zoning bylaw and site plan control guidelines. Tonight Ivins will present council with three options staff have come up with dealing with medical marijuana facilities. The first option comes under enforcement of current zoning bylaw and site plan control guidelines and would have staff rely on written complaints from residents as the township is not regularly patrolled for bylaw infractions. “Health Canada will not provide a list of all licensed properties within the township or advise if a license has been applied for as they can only advise if a license has been issued if staff call with a specific address,” the report says. A municipal licensing bylaw is the second option listed in the report and it says through discussions with Niagara West MP Dean Allison, the Niagara Regional Police guns, gangs and grows unit and area residents, staff were made aware of a municipal licensing bylaw for medical marijuana facilities in Mississauga. The third option calls for a resolution to be sent to the federal government to enact stricter oversight and enforcement of licences issued to designated growers. The council meeting starts at 7 p.m. in township hall. It also streams live on the township’s YouTube page: www.youtube.com/channel/UCsRDFVYmXll4Es4IFnUI_ig.