Public opinion in Sicamous appears to favour the district repealing its ban on retail cannabis sales, but not without some restrictions in place.
This is according to feedback received by the district during a public consultation period held Nov. 21, 2018, to Jan. 7, 2019. During this time, the district received 105 responses to a related public survey.
In addition, four open houses were held by the district. A staff report presented at the Jan. 11 district committee of the whole meeting stated they were not well attended.
Overall, respondents to the survey favoured an end to the prohibition the district put in place in May 2018. Sicamous council approved the prohibition in order to give themselves time to develop policy and consult with the public on if and how retail sales of recreational cannabis would be acceptable to the community.
In a public consultation period running from Nov. 21 2018 to Jan. 7 2019 District Staff received 105 survey responses. Four open houses allowing the public to voice their opinion on cannabis sales were held, but a staff report presented at the Jan. 11 committee of the whole meeting stated they were not well attended.
Overall respondents to the survey favoured an end to prohibition which the district put in place in May 2018. Sicamous council approved the prohibition in order to give themselves time to develop policy and consult with the public on if and how retail sales of recreational cannabis would be acceptable to the community.
Related: District of Sicamous to seek public input on cannabis policy
The results of the survey, presented at the Jan. 11 meeting, show 59 per cent of respondents in favour of allowing cannabis sales but limiting the number of stores, while 26 per cent preferred no limit being placed and 15 per cent wanted the prohibition to continue.
The report from Melinda Smyrl, the district’s planner, states a policy could be created allowing the district to revisit and revise a limit placed on the number of stores if conditions such as the population of the district were to change.
The survey also asked what residents think the maximum number of stores should be. Two and three stores each garnered 31 per cent, while 23 per cent of respondents said one store is the appropriate number. Fifteen per cent did not answer the question.
As the provincial legislation surrounding cannabis stores gives local governments the power to set distances of potential retail locations from community amenities, survey respondents were asked to weigh in on which locations they feel cannabis stores should be distanced from. Sixty-five per cent of respondents said locating stores away from schools should be made a priority. Schools were followed by community gathering places (14 per cent), seniors centres (11 per cent) and other cannabis retailers (10 per cent).
Related:Sicamous cannabis retail applications near end of BC licensing process
Sixty-six per cent of respondents indicated they preferred cannabis retailers in Sicamous be owned locally.
Comments from the public were also attached to Smyrl’s report.
“Everything in the main business area is walkable; no matter how close to certain community resources it is. Times are changing; Time for us to keep up and get our heads out of the sand,” stated one respondent.
Others said that legal cannabis will soon be available in nearby communities even if it is not sold in Sicamous, and that a store could draw foot traffic to other businesses in areas of town off Main Street if it were located there.
Several comments expressed a desire to maintain the prohibition.
“We live close enough to major citys and towns that we dont need retail stores here,” one said.
The matter of the district’s cannabis policy will be before council at their Jan. 30 meeting where it will be up to councillors to decide whether they will presson with prohibition or allow cannabis retailers to set up shop.
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