Councillors in the Metro Vancouver city of Richmond say they won’t permit pot shops no matter what model the federal government presents once it is legalized.
City Hall is considering a bylaw that would ban currently illegal cannabis dispensaries, which many other Canadian cities are controlling through business licenses, and local elected officials said they want it to continue even after it is legal.
“Legalization doesn’t mean to say we have to follow suit,” said councillor Bill McNulty told the Globe & Mail. “We want to keep a safe community. Just because the federal government is there doesn’t mean to say they always make good decisions.”
The federal Liberal government is expected to table legislation in the coming months that will legalize and regulate recreational cannabis use.
Earlier this week, city council received a committee recommendation to amend a bylaw that would not permit dispensaries in any zone of the city of 200,000, predominantly ethnic Chinese residents. The motion is expected to pass unanimously when city councillors vote on the motion next week.
Read the full story by reporter Vanessa Hrvatin here.