District of Summerland development services staff has recommended to council that any licensed production of cannabis be done in industrial zones in the community.

In a staff report prepared for council by Dean Strachan, director of development services, he recommends council adopt a resolution that current zoning bylaw amendments for licensed marijuana production be referred to the district’s advisory planning commission (APC).

The recommendation also adds the definition of “marijuana, licensed production … means the commercial producing, processing, distribution and testing of marijuana … must be licensed by Health Canada. Use does not include retail sales or dispensing.”

Any production should take place in either a light industrial zone or heavy industrial zone, says the report.

“Federal and provincial legislation, regulation and information on marijuana production is anticipated in the next few months leading up the legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada,” said Strachan in his report. “The proposed amendments would limit commercial production of marijuana to industrial lands in Summerland.”

The issue surrounding legalization have been divided into production and processing of marijuana, the second being the distribution and retail sale of the product, he said.

Photo Credit: NowMediaDistrict of Summerland will discuss issues relating to the pending legalization of recreational marijuana at Monday evening's regular meeting of council.

“The subject report relates only to the current processing component of this issue,” said Strachan. “Public consultation, discussion and input on both components of this issue will continue locally, provincially and federally over the next few months leading towards the final legalization, regulations and information for legalization of recreational marijuana in Canada.”

Currently, federal regulations license medical marijuana production facilities. Licenses for commercial production are issued by Health Canada and include operation, production and distribution regulations.

“However, at this time the licensing process allows local governments through their zoning bylaws to regulate where the use is permitted in their community,” said Strachan. “At this time, the Summerland Zoning Bylaw is silent on commercial marijuana production facilities, therefore, the use is not specifically regulated and can fall under other agricultural and industrial uses existing in the bylaw.”

Photo Credit: NowMedia

With recreational marijuana scheduled to become legal later in 2018, the number of commercial production facilities are anticipated to grow significantly in the next few years, said Strachan.

In preparation for the potential receipt of multiple speculative commercial marijuana production facilities and absence of significant components of legislation, regulation and information, staff are recommending bylaw amendments to limit production facilities to industrial lands, he said.

“At this time, storefront distribution operations remain illegal,” he said. “However, some communities have allowed and licensed facilities under previous regulations and/or in anticipation of federal changes and/or as a result of court rulings around medical access.

“With the federal legalization of marijuana moving beyond medical use to include recreational use to distribution regulations are being developed.”

The federal government has passed along the distribution regulation authority to provincial governments and the province is currently reviewing and preparing a distribution model for B.C.

The final format of the distribution model will impact how local governments need to or want to regulate the distribution locations as well as the public use of marijuana, he said.

Following discussion at Monday evening’s regular meeting of council, councillors are being asked to refer this issue back to staff for further review.