INNISFAIL - The town is finally moving ahead to put together a community plan for the upcoming federal legalization of marijuana and Mayor Jim Romane is quickly declaring he would like to ultimately see a conservative made-in-Innisfail policy.
"I want to see it eased into. I don't want it thrown wide open. For us to sit back and wait to see what Edmonton or Ottawa sends us -- no, I want some input," said Romane, who is staunchly against public consumption of cannabis. "I am very convinced of that because the thing with marijuana is that you can smell that stuff a block away. And we don't need that -- walking down Main Street and smelling marijuana, or anywhere else."
The local policy, called the Cannabis Legalization Project Plan, will be accompanied by comprehensive public engagement through a municipal process called the Cannabis Legalization Public Participation Plan. Both processes were approved by council at its April 9 regular meeting. The town wants to have the entire process completed before July 1, the tentative date for when the federal law was expected to kick in. However, the date for full legalization of cannabis could be delayed until later in the summer.
Innisfail's response to the new federal legislation must meet the guidelines of accompanying provincial legislation that sets out the rules for Alberta's cannabis system, while providing municipalities a key role in developing their own policies on how the new product will be sold and consumed within their own communities.
"It will be interesting on what the community is expecting and then of course how council will work with the information that is being gathered," he added, noting it will be just one important component to the finished new municipal legislation. "All those pieces, federal and provincial, and even what is going on with other municipalities, we will apply it to what we are hearing within the community here. Hopefully we can come up with a conclusive recommendation from administration."
However, he added there is still the ongoing challenge of getting all the necessary information from both the provincial and federal governments.
"From my interpretation there are regulations still forthcoming and there are others that have been altered," said Becker. "It makes our work challenging to solidify our legislation when the provincial and federal legislations have not been totally secured."
Innisfail's launch of its new plan to develop its own policy follows the City of Calgary's recently approved cannabis consumption rules that are similar to those for alcohol. Its new Cannabis Consumption Bylaw prohibits public consumption of non-medical cannabis in any form.
When the local process, which will include bylaw reviews, an online public survey, and an open house, is completed in late June before a final policy is approved by council, Romane is hoping it will take a similar hard-line conservative approach, much like what Calgary recently approved.
"I've got some ideas that I think are pretty strong," said the mayor. "That to me is the only way to deal with it. I think to start with we have to get some guidelines to get started on the right track. "
Romane added he wants to scale back the hours of operation for new cannabis retail outlets from ones proposed by the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission, which called for a 2 a.m. closing time.
"No way we want that," said Romane, adding he would claw back the closing time to 10 p.m.
He also wants the number of outlets limited, noting it should be less than the current half dozen liquor outlets.
"I've talked to AGLC and to Alberta Health Services (AHS), and they have new released information on it and they are saying minimize as much as you can," said Romane. "You can always allow more later if you don't think it's an issue, but going in, let's be very careful."
The mayor said it was also important for the town to have ongoing discussions with AHS, law enforcement agencies, school boards, as well as other communities, including Penhold.
