Proposed cannabis store near St. Joseph High School sparks community concerns

• Share on Facebook
• Share on Bluesky
• Share on X
• Copy Link

Another citizen opposed the application, saying they don’t think it will be good for the neighbourhood and is too close to the school.

Calls for advocacy

City council seeks long-term provincial and federal funding for youth transitional housing

59m ago

first reading passed

Proposed cannabis store near St. Joseph High School sparks community concerns

2h ago

Pond in Sylvan Lake

'He's alive because of them': Mother thanks heroes after autistic son's near-drowning

4h ago

Meanwhile, Ryan Ledene, supervisor of system services for Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools, wrote the division is highly opposed, noting it’s a high-traffic area for their students well within walking distance.

“This would only add to a problem of cannabis use in and around our school,” he wrote. “In consultation with school administration, Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools will oppose this variation of the regulations set out in section 4.60 of the zoning bylaw.”

(Image Credit: City of Red Deer/Supplied)

At Tuesday’s regular city council meeting, council gave initial approval for the zoning bylaw amendment application for a cannabis sales site exception to allow cannabis retail sales as a discretionary use

However, this doesn’t mean it’s been fully approved.

Council still needs to pass second and third readings of the motion in order for it to get the green light.

Before council deliberates second reading, a public hearing in council chambers will take place on September 1 at 5 p.m., where members of the public will get to voice whether they’re for or against it.

When council passed first reading on Tuesday, it passed by a 7-2 vote, with councillors Kraymer Barnstable and Bruce Buruma opposed.

Barnstable said a few years ago he put forward a motion to extend the radius to keep these retail stores from getting closer to schools, which he said wasn’t supported at the time.

“I understand it’s just first reading, but I’ve seen the comments that are in the package as well as where I stand individually on this. I won’t be supporting this on first reading,” Barnstable said.

Councillor Dianne Wyntjes was also on the fence about the application, noting she remembers conversations from when the bylaw was first put in place to protect the distances for schools from cannabis shops.

“I will support first reading, but I’m very curious what this means for our community. We’ll look forward to the public hearing because I do have some concerns,” she said.

Administration explained the site is currently zoned as a mixed-use commercial zone and is located in Timberlands North, but an amendment is required because the zone does not allow cannabis retail sales.

According to council documents, the Timberlands North Neighbourhood Area Structure Plan identifies the site as mixed-use. A section of that plan states that “buildings facing 30th Avenue will be purely retail…Stand-alone retail/commercial developments are preferred on those parcels facing 30th Avenue.”

Administration states that the proposed location meets the cannabis retail sales regulations in section 4.60 of the zoning bylaw, as the location is beyond the minimum 150m separation distance from a school, another cannabis retail location, a daycare, etc. It is also not co-located or adjacent to a site with a microbrewery, liquor, beer, and wine sales.

If passed, consumption will not be permitted on site, and the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission licenses all locations and requires retailers to verify the age of every customer.