The city of Oshawa’s council is considering increasing the scope of the city’s medical marijuana working group. The Oshawa Accessibility Advisory Committee(OAAC) made a recommendation to expand what the Medical Marijuana Working Group does, in order to have input when it comes to things like zoning and planning.
This topic was voted on and the recommendation was denied with a 3-2 vote. Councillor Bob Chapman was one of the votes against the recommendation, and he said that the working group was not necessary as city planners have already been consulting with people who will be involved in the developments. Councillor Nancy Diamond agrees with Chapmen and notes “That’s the job of our staff, to work within the law, to work within the official plan…to advise council.”
Marko Ivancicevic, chair of the working group, defended the accusation that this recommendation would have simply added more red tape to the process. “It gives a foundation where we have that more concrete ability to advise council and advise staff or again, be included in the process,” he said. Councillor Amy McQuaid-England is in agreeance with this also. “I simply don’t think that’s true. I think that we should be respectful of what the medical marijuana working group has put forward in terms of their expertise,” McQuad-England said.
We will continue to watch the developments of the medical cannabis scene in Oshawa.