With the Senate having recently passed Bill C-45, the Cannabis Act, Okanagan citizens are wondering what they can expect to see once legalization comes into effect.

The federal and provincial governments have various responsibilities, but how much of the onus is on our municipalities? Penticton, West Kelowna, Kelowna, Lake Country, and Vernon each have the ability to determine certain parameters for legalization including (but not limited to) land use and zoning, and which businesses will eventually receive licenses to operate retail cannabis stores.

Photo Credit: File Photo.

Each municipality has concerns for public safety and keeping cannabis out of the hands of minors, and most want to be proactive in putting progressive bylaws in place in advance of when legalization will come into effect. To that end, most have already released their projected yet unfinalized plans so that interested parties and business stakeholders have an opportunity to review and provide feedback. With Bill C-45 recently being passed with amendments, it will now go back to the House of Commons for the government to either accept or decline the specifics around promotion, packaging, and the number of plants that can be grown at home.

Bylaw amendments include set distances from provincial institutions, city parks, hospitals, schools, and daycares measured by metre. Each city varying with the set distance that they plan to propose to city councils, and some exercising the right to not have a mandatory buffer at all. Other parameters include being a certain distance from any existing liquor stores and allowing for a buffer between retail cannabis stores to prevent a “green mile” from being established. Interestingly enough, Alberta has indicated that they will have a zero metre setback, which is in-line with their goal of being the provincial leader for cannabis friendly operations and distribution in Canada.

Photo Credit: File Photo.

In the Okanagan valley, Penticton has indicated that they will not allow retail cannabis locations in any zones, but all parameters that are currently projected are subject to change. In West Kelowna, their proposal to have only pharmacies dispense didn’t qualify under federal law, and their next steps are to be determined. Kelowna has proposed that cannabis outlets will be allowed on Bernard Ave but not Leon or Lawrence Ave, with a 150 metre setback from city parks, schools, etc. It is still unclear if they will be permitted to operate on Harvey Ave, or in the South Pandosy area. Lake Country has released their plans for a 400 metre buffer, and a public hearing is scheduled for June 19th for interested stakeholders to provide feedback. Alternatively, Vernon has been quite progressive to date in actively engaging corporate retailers and allowing grandfathered black market dispensaries to continue to operate until further notice.

Photo Credit: File Photo.

It’s obvious that further amendments and updates will need to be made to properly prepare our communities for the eventual sale of cannabis in dispensaries. Wherever these retail cannabis stores are located, the conversation will continue to be a hot topic while the legal uses of cannabis is redefined and the eventual impact on the Okanagan’s tourism industry, public consumption policies and online sales can be determined.

Compass Cannabis is a medical cannabis consultation company whose core business is focused on providing educational and consultation services to Canadians who are able to obtain cannabis from a licensed producer under Canada’s Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR). Compass Cannabis has forty clinics that are now open or confirmed across Canada, and has been recently selected by the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority as a cannabis retailer for Weyburn, SK. The retail license is through their subsidiary company and in partnership with Starbuds Colorado, one of the leading multiple state cannabis retailers in the United States. With a rapidly growing patient base currently being served and an aggressive real estate acquisition strategy, Compass is poised to be one of the largest marijuana organizations in Canada.