Mountain View County’s policies and priorities committee has passed a motion recommending that council instruct administration to put forward amendments to the Parks bylaw to include provisions for public consumption of cannabis.
The move came during the committee’s June 20 regularly scheduled meeting in council chambers.
The provisions would parallel existing provisions that regulate the consumption of liquor.
The county’s existing Parks bylaw states, in part, that, “No person shall possess open liquor, other than at their campsite. As there are no campsites or camping within day use areas and municipal reserves, alcohol consumption is not permitted.”
In a briefing note to the committee, CAO Jeff Holmes said, “With the legalization of cannabis sale and use through the passage of the proposed Cannabis Act (federal legislation), administration is seeking further direction from the policies and priorities committee relative to dealing with public consumption of cannabis in municipally owned campgrounds, day use areas and municipal reserves.”
The Cannabis Act has passed in both the House and Senate and will come into effect on Oct. 17.
Mountain View County has already drafted proposed changes to the land use bylaw to address retail, processing and production facilities within the county.
“The next step for MVC is to make the determination relative to whether to further restrict the public consumption of cannabis at municipally owned day use areas, campgrounds and municipal reserves,” he said.
While the province has passed legislation regarding cannabis consumption, including prohibiting it on hospital, school and child care facility properties, municipalities have the authority to create additional restrictions on consumption of cannabis.
MVC administration has been in contact with the operators of municipal campgrounds and the operators have not requested any further restriction for public consumption than what is proposed with the provincial legislation, members heard.
“However, this could become a topic for discussion at the Westward Ho Campers Association annual general meeting in July,” he said.
“The committee would consider the enforcement challenges should there be a recommendation for further restrictions to public consumption of cannabis.”
During the June 20 committee meeting, members had discussions on the matter.
“I support the recommendation,” said Coun. Al Kemmere. “I think paralleling with liquor at least puts some strength around where it will be used. Under our municipal abilities, the enabling legislation put forward by the province allows us to identify it this way and I think it’s a good recommendation.”
Coun. Peggy Johnson said, “I see our parks and our campgrounds and our sports fields as family places where there are lots of children and youth.”
Deputy Reeve Angela Aalbers, who chaired the June 20 meeting, said, “I think all municipalities are struggling to keep up or get in front of the cannabis legislation without a whole lot of direction from the province or the federal governments.
“The public consumption of cannabis is going to be an issue. At the FCM (Federation of Canadian Municipalities) conference we heard municipalities as big as Calgary are struggling with the public consumption issue.
“We will have to be like everyone else and make changes to legislation in our bylaws as we move forward. The more we learn, the more we will change.”
The committee is recommending that public consumption of cannabis “move along the same lines as our liquor consumption, so that’s the direction the committee has asked administration to come back with for the council discussion on June 27 and then we will take it from there,” she said.
The federal Cannabis Act will establish new provisions to address drug-impaired driving, as well as make several changes to the overall legal framework to address alcohol impaired driving, members heard.
As well, the legal age to process, purchase or consume cannabis in Alberta will be 18 years old, the same as for alcohol and tobacco.
Priorities and policies committee is made up of county councillors.
