PENHOLD – The town will not be making any big moves with regards to cannabis consumption but will instead follow provincial guidelines.
“It’s not a municipality’s job to do the province’s job,” said Mike Yargeau, Penhold mayor in recent weeks. “As of now, it’s (cannabis) only going to be in our Land Use Bylaw. The province did put out guidelines for public consumption, and that is the provincial government’s job to do those things.
“They put it on the municipalities and some municipalities have chosen to take on that responsibility,” he added.
Council was going to discuss the issues around cannabis again during its July 23 meeting.
Some of those provincial guidelines pertain to cannabis use around schools.
“As it stands right now, cannabis cannot be consumed in public at any place where children frequent,” explained Yargeau. “There’s a whole list, very similar to tobacco, but all those guidelines are there, put out by the province.”
Penhold council recently passed first reading of a bylaw to amend the Land Use Bylaw, pertaining to cannabis-related definitions.
“This doesn’t deal with consumption in the Town of Penhold, this deals with definitions and it lays out guidelines if someone were to come and ask for a business licence (or development permit),” he said. “Where it can be located and where it can’t be located.
“Retail cannabis will be its own section in the Land Use Bylaw,” added Yargeau, noting an example of someone applying for a development permit, specifically for opening up a retail cannabis shop.
He said they haven’t heard a lot of feedback from Penhold residents relating to cannabis.
There have been several companies that have expressed interest in setting up shop in Penhold, noted Yargeau, adding they have not yet formally accepted any applications.
A public hearing was scheduled for July 23 but has since been rescheduled for August.
“That gives residents an opportunity to come and provide any feedback,” said Yargeau, noting that he anticipates the bylaw to pass by the end of summer.
“A lot of it depends on how the public hearing goes. If the residents are for the most part happy and we’ll see little changes, it’ll be something that will happen quickly,” said Yargeau. “If there’s major changes, it might take a little more time.”
He said the town wants to ensure Penhold is ready for cannabis businesses if and when they open up.
“This is something the federal government legalized and now private businesses have the opportunity to open these shops,” said Yargeau. “All we’re doing as a municipality is preparing to make sure we have a process set in place should someone apply to open one in our town.”
