Blackfalds Tobacco and Cannabis Bylaw up for second reading next week

Following a ‘Cannabis Open House’ held October 2, Poole says they’ve utilized the provincial cannabis regulations as a guideline for developing The Town’s new cannabis bylaws.

“You know, all of those that we have to follow,” says Poole. “We also looked at different communities surrounding us and we tried to come to a good mix of suggestions and ideas when we put our bylaw into effect. One of the big changes is that we are putting in a smoking bylaw with our cannabis bylaw and that will limit smoking in public areas within the town of Blackfalds.”

He says the Tobacco and Cannabis Bylaw will go up for second reading on Tuesday, October 9.

“Our Land Use Bylaw, we’re looking at the possibility of either combining everything in our Land Use Bylaw to one major Land Use Bylaw but it would be four to six months before it would be available,” states Poole. “So we wouldn’t be opening any shops until then or we might request that that be drawn out of the Land Use Bylaw and brought forward separately so that there would be a faster timeline.”

In terms of any retail cannabis outlets opening soon in Blackfalds, Poole says it may take a while yet.

“We have a moratorium on any applications until we have our Land Use Bylaw decided on,” he says. “So anyone who did come forward, would have been told that as long as the moratorium is in place, they wouldn’t be looking at it.”

“I think throughout the province, communities have worked very hard to try to establish what their citizens want,” concludes Poole. “On the day after cannabis is legislated, I don’t think there’s going to be a major change in people’s attitudes, in people’s approaches in anything that’s happening. I think life will go on very well and there won’t be a big ‘to do’.”

by Sheldon Spackman

Blackfalds Tobacco and Cannabis Bylaw up for second reading next week

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