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Coldstream Hesitant On Cannabis Sales For Now

Apr 26, 2018 | 6:52 AM

The District of Coldstream has decided to wait for more information from the provincial and federal governments before allowing cannabis sales in the community.

Council this week gave first and 2nd reading to a zoning text amendment prohibiting sales.

Mayor Jim Garlick says there are still too many unknowns.

“We just want to avoid any problems with the legalization of cannabis as it moves forward. So we don’t want some retail outlet popping up or being proposed before the federal and provincial governments have dealt with the issue and then it comes to our turn.”

Garlick says that would prevent having to deal with anyone in contravention of bylaws that are adopted after legislation is put in place.

A public hearing planned for May has been set aside for now.

“Because there’ll be opportunity for that to come later with proposed rules in place where everybody knows what the provincial and federal governments are putting forward.”

The proposed bylaw deletes the current definition of “Retail Sales” and replaces it with one that explicitly excludes the sale of cannabis and its derivatives.