Town asks for clarity on weed
B.C.’s municipal governments shouldn’t expect a lot of help from the province to deal with added costs they’ll face when recreational marijuana becomes legal later this year.
That appears to be the message in a letter from Carole James, the deputy premier, delivered to the Town of Oliver earlier this month.
“The federal and provincial governments intend to keep cannabis taxes low to support the objective of reducing illicit market activity,” writes James in the March 12 letter. “As such, it is expected that cannabis taxation revenues will not generate significant provincial revenues.”
James does say the province is “committed to working collaboratively with local governments in the development of a provincial cannabis regulatory framework.”
“The province recognizes that the legalization of cannabis will lead to additional costs for local governments,” she writes.
“We will be able to have more informed discussions once full details of the regulatory and taxation regimes are known and governments have more certainty in terms of expected future costs and revenues.”
The Town of Osoyoos is among those municipalities grappling with the question of how to fund the expected increased municipal expenses accompanying legal cannabis sales in the community.
But it also wants more information on the province’s position on public use of the drug.
Last week, council asked town administration to send a letter to the province asking for “clarification” on that position.
On a provincial web page, the province has indicated it will generally allow adults to use non-medical cannabis in public spaces where tobacco smoking and vaping are permitted.
“However, to minimize child and youth exposure, smoking and vaping of non-medical cannabis will be banned in areas frequented by children, including community beaches, parks and playgrounds. Use of cannabis, in any form, will also be banned for all occupants in vehicles.”
Local governments, it adds, “will be able to set additional restrictions, as they do now for tobacco use. In addition, landlords and strata councils will be able to restrict or prohibit non-medical cannabis smoking at tenanted and strata properties.”