The Review

Cannabis Update in The Blue Mountains

Posted On: Friday, January 18, 2019

At the Special Council meeting on January 16th 2019, Council voted unanimously to opt-in and allow provincially authorized cannabis retail stores to operate within the Town of The Blue Mountains.

Cannabis Update in The Blue Mountains

Council also provided staff with direction to develop a cannabis policy statement which will guide municipal staff when submitting comments to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario related to proposed cannabis retail store sites. Developed through consultation, the policy will clearly outline standards related to where the community feels that cannabis retail stores should be permitted in keeping with the community interest.

In addition, Council directed staff to assess the financial and resource implications associated with further restricting the usage of cannabis within the Town through consultation with owners of privately owned commercial properties who provide public spaces.

Council also voted to approve that the Town make a formal request to the Province to provide additional funding resources to address implementation issues related to cannabis legalization.

“The unanimous motion to approve cannabis retail stores is a clear demonstration that the Town of The Blue Mountains is a progressive, open and forward-thinking community,” said Mayor Alar Soever. “The decision was made easier in part due to the Provincial restrictions within the first round of licensing. The restrictions have allowed the Town to opt-in, while also taking the time to craft a careful approach towards conducting further public engagement and research related to cannabis usage.”

Under Ontario Regulation 468/18, only 25 cannabis retails stores will be permitted in Ontario by April 1st, 2019. Due to the minimum population requirement of 50,000, the Town of The Blue Mountains is not currently eligible for a store despite the decision by Council to opt-in.

To learn more about cannabis in the Town of The Blue Mountains, please visit: www.thebluemountains.ca/cannabis.cfm

For more information, visit:

Alar Soever
Mayor, Town of The Blue Mountains
(519) 599-3131 ext. 400
Click to email the Mayor

Tim Hendry
Communications & Economic Development Coordinator
(519) 599-3131 ext. 282
Click to email