INNISFAIL – The town is one of several municipalities in Alberta that is seeking provincial funding to help cover costs related to the legalization of cannabis.
But Penhold is out of luck. The town does not meet the 5,000 population number to qualify.
“We’re just disappointed that they didn’t take into account the increased costs that small municipalities face with legalized cannabis through our own enforcement bylaws,” said Mike Yargeau, the mayor of Penhold. “They chose to not include small municipalities.”
Yargeau said those extra costs are applicable to all municipalities, no matter their size.
The Municipal Cannabis Transition Program (MCTP) was introduced last October, and will provide $11.15 million over two years to the 52 Alberta municipalities that pay for their own policing.
The two-year program will support municipalities in addressing enforcement and administrative costs related to the legalization of cannabis in Alberta.
“The Town of Innisfail is eligible for that MCTP grant,” said Todd Becker, Innisfail CAO. “Within the grant application we are eligible for the town (to receive) a total of $43,899.”
The grant will be allocated in two payments for the two-year transition period, with the town receiving both payments in 2019.
“In 2018 we would be eligible for $24,650 and in 2019 we’d be eligible for $19,249,” said Becker, noting the town would receive those grants by March 1 and July 31 respectively.
The deadline to apply for the MCTP grant is Feb. 1, 2019.
Becker said the town has not yet decided how the grant will be allocated, but the matter will be discussed at an upcoming council meeting.
“We have the flexibility to allocate the funding depending on our local requirements,” said Becker, noting the areas of enforcement and education could be included. “It’s really up to the towns to determine how we want to allocate these funds.”
Innisfail RCMP could not comment on the MCTP grant or any changes the funding may bring, but did confirm several recent meetings with local municipalities.
“Prior to the cannabis act coming into effect, we met several times with municipalities to discuss policing concerns,” said Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk. “Meetings have been held and will be ongoing.”
Municipalities with populations under 5,000 who don’t pay for their own policing are not eligible to receive that provincial funding.
That news isn’t sitting well with the Penhold mayor.
“Every municipality in Alberta has to adjust their land use bylaw. Whether they’ve fully banned or allowed (public) consumption, there’s increased costs on their internal bylaw enforcement to enforce whatever their new rules are,” explained Yargeau. “They’re saying that municipalities under 5,000 don’t have those costs, but we do. Whether we ban it or allow it, we still have to enforce it now. We didn’t have to do that before (Oct. 17).
“Smaller municipalities aren’t asking for all of the money but we are asking to get our share too,” he added, noting that for now all they can do is wait to see what impact legal cannabis will have on the municipality.
“Essentially all we can do is continue pressuring through our provincial organization, the AUMA (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association) and RMA (Rural Municipalities of Alberta) and then just monitor how it’s affecting our town,” said Yargeau. “(We’ll) keep pressing the province to acknowledge that small towns have these needs.”
