Penticton outlines strategy for public input on non-medical marijuana sales | iNFOnews | Thompson-Okanagan's News Source
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Penticton outlines strategy for public input on non-medical marijuana sales

PENTICTON - The City of Penticton outlined its plans for public consultation with respect to retail sales of non-medical marijuana at today’s Committee of the Whole meeting, receiving council's blessing.

The city feels secure in moving ahead with regulations following the province’s work to put a framework of requirements for marijuana sales together, Planning Manager Blake Laven told the committee this afternoon, March 20.

Marijuana sales will mirror that of liquor sales in the province, with the Liquor Control Licensing Branch licensing and enforcing private retailers of non-medical marijuana sales.

Local government is expected to have a great deal of control over the local retail environment, including the right to prohibit retail outlets entirely, Laven says, adding retail applications will need local endorsement through a council resolution and prior neighbourhood consultation.

The federal government is expected to control such things as the type of products sold, labelling and promotion, while the province will look after wholesale sales, licensing and consumption age.

The city is expected to have control over retail locations, the number of facilities, the approval process, hours of operation and the ‘look and feel’ of the outlets, says City Engagement Strategist JoAnne Krebs. She says the engagement process will be extensive, including consultations with a number of city citizen groups and committees.

Kleb says engagement strategy for the issue will be ramped up to a four phase process that will see the city inform the public, consult, involve and then collaborate with residents to formulate local policy.

The process will start with Phase one, to raise awareness, gather opinion and initial input through April and May, followed by a report of the findings in Phase two through May and June.

Phase three will include a revision of draft regulations, to take place in June and July, with Phase four consisting of  a final report, with recommendations to council and implementation to take place in July and August.

The timetable parallels the legalization date for recreational marijuana use, expected to be sometime in August.


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