The city will butt out of attempting to regulate where pot shops locate, Mayor Peter Milobar told a group of concerned Mount Dufferin residents Tuesday.
A number of residents of Hillside Lofts, a condominium building on Hillside Drive across from Aberdeen Village shopping centre, asked council to stop a budding marijuana dispensary from setting up shop.
Cannaclinics is in the process of opening a storefront operation next to a strip of businesses, above which sits condos.
John Stewart, a spokesman for the group, said the proposed storefront is inappropriate for the zoning and shouldnt be near children who live there.
Dispensaries are not legal in Canada, but are operating in a grey area until the federal Liberal government comes out with rules for legal medical and recreational sale of marijuana, expected in the spring.
Cannaclinics will join at least three other such stores that have operated in Kamloops this year, but has yet to apply for a business licence.
The company had not responded to phone and email requests from last week, seeking comment.
Its not an easy question to answer, Milobar said of allowing marijuana shops to set up in Kamloops.
Neither the city nor RCMP have taken action against dispensaries recently, unlike in some municipalities, including Chilliwack, Toronto and Nanaimo, where authorities have cracked down.
Were all in a grey area right now, Milobar said. Everyone wants to see whats happening with the federal government.
City administrator Dave Trawin said the city does not issue business licences to sell marijuana.
Were monitoring it, he said. Weve liaised with RCMP and are looking as these things pop up that safety issues are dealt with.
Last week, Supt. Brad Mueller told KTW Mounties will take action in marijuana-related cases on a case-by-case basis due to legal uncertainty after the federal court declared last winter that Canadas existing medical-marijuana system is invalid.
Kamloops RCMP is currently conducting a risk-based assessment of all dispensaries and working closely with the City of Kamloops in regulating and setting enforcement strategies to ensure the safety of the general public in regards to any medical cannabis dispensary concerns, Mueller said.
Following the presentation to council on Tuesday, Stewart told reporters residents want the city to understand the proposed Cannaclinics location is not the right place for sale of marijuana.
Its not the use, Stewart said. It has to be in the right location.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Kamloops Council Will Not Take Action Against Proposed Pot Shop In Aberdeen
Author: Cam Fortems
Contact: info@kamloopsthisweek.com
Photo Credit: Dave Eagles
Website: Kamloops This Week
