CORNWALL, Ontario – At the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference this week, 1,900 municipal representatives from across the province were briefed by members of the provincial government on the roll out of marijuana legalization in Ontario.
In a turn of policy from the previous Liberal government, Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives stated that private vendors would be allowed to sell marijuana. As of April 1, 2019, private retailers will be able to begin selling. With marijuana becoming legal nationwide on Oct. 17 and with a municipal election on Oct. 22, municipalities will have a short window to adapt to the change.
With private retailers comes new responsibilities for municipalities like planning, zoning, and police enforcement around these new stores.
Municipalities will have a chance to opt out of the program and not allow private retailers in their jurisdiction. Municipalities that choose to opt out however, could choose to opt back in later on down the road.
Incumbent Cornwall Mayor Leslie O’Shaughnessy, who is running for re-election on Oct. 22, said that he was at the AMO meeting where marijuana legalization was discussed.
“I think it is a community decision,” said O’Shaughnessy. “We have to reach out to the community and see what they want. I’ve heard a lot from politicians, but very little from the public.”
O’Shaughnessy said that somethings were still unclear about the marijuana roll out, for instance, he said it was still unknown if municipalities would be able to limit the number of marijuana retailers within their boundaries. Ultimately, O’Shaughnessy said that this will be a decision for the new council in December.
Fellow mayoral candidate Councillor David Murphy said that he is in favour of private marijuana retailers.
“I think we should allow it,” he said. “I don’t see a problem with it. Is it for me? No.”
Murphy argued that it will be a legalized substance and said that he believed that the City would be able to regulate the number of retailers.
Murphy also pointed out that there will be support from the Health Unit and the Police who will help manage marijuana use and monitor retail locations.
Mayoral candidate and City Councillor, Bernadette Clement said that there were still many questions around the province’s legalization plan.
“The first concern is safety,” said Clement in an emailed statement to Cornwall Seaway News. “Part of the intent if legalization is to undermine the illegal market and reduce criminal activity. The provincial government has announced that it will have 40 million dollars available to assist municipalities with safety issues. I question whether that is enough, especially as there are hundreds of municipalities in Ontario, including big cities like Toronto and Ottawa.”
Clement said that she felt that the impact of opting out of the program would be minimal because of the existence of and online sale system. Again however, she felt that there needed to be more information available about the online system, particularly in terms of rules surrounding delivery.
Clement explained that the choice to opt in or out should not be made in a vacuum.
“And once we opt in, the community will also want information as to whether there will be restrictions in terms of where a store is located for example, such as a certain distance from schools,” Clement said. “I’m not opposed to opting in, but I have many questions as I indicated above, and judging from a lot of the conversations that I have been having in the last two weeks, so does the community.”
Seaway News reached out to mayoral candidate Nicole Spahich, but had not received a response as of time of publication.
