Allowing Cannabis Retail in Oakville will be reviewed again on March 2nd by Town Council at a Special Town Council Meeting in Town Hall. On January 14, 2019, Town Councillors voted not to allow brick and motor cannabis retail. It was also decided that council would review that decision in 2020.
Municipal Enforcement Services and Legal Department prepared a report “Cannabis Legalization – One Year Review” which was dated February 19, 2020. It is expected to be received on March 2nd.
Cannabis Retail Report's Key Points
- Ontario municipalities had a one-time option to opt-out of having licensed cannabis stores in their communities
- Legal cannabis stores cannot be located in a municipality that has opted-out
- Municipalities that opt-out can opt back in at any time, but once they have opted-in, they may not reverse their decision
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) licenses and regulates private cannabis stores in Ontario
- The Ontario Cannabis Store is the exclusive wholesaler to cannabis stores
- Provincial regulation requires cannabis stores must be no closer than 150m away from schools
- Provincial legislation prohibits municipalities from licensing or zoning cannabis stores
- The Province initially restricted the number of licences for cannabis stores through a lottery system, but is now moving to an open market for retail cannabis stores
- The Province is also engaging in consultation on its proposal for additional cannabis business opportunities, i.e. consumption lounges/cafes and special occasion permits
- On October 17, 2019, cannabis regulations were updated to establish rules for the production and sale of three new classes of cannabis (edibles, extracts, topicals)
- Production facilities, whether medical1 or recreational cannabis, are regulated exclusively by the Federal government.
According to the Halton Regional Police Service the overall impact of cannabis legalization on public safety has not been significant. They identified one significant negative trend: motorists who were not necessarily impaired but had access to cannabis while operating a vehicle.
What has increased 3 fold were the number of trafficking charges (8) in 2018 that rose to 21 in 2019. However, the police believe that this increased because the service refocused their efforts to combat trafficking.
Draft Resolutions for March 2 2020 Meeting
Should Council wish to continue to opt-out of having cannabis retail stores in Oakville, staff recommend passing the following resolution:
- That Council’s decision of January 14, 2019 to opt out of having cannabis retail stores within the Town of Oakville be upheld.
Should Council wish to opt-in to permit cannabis retail stores in Oakville, staff recommend passing the following resolution:
- That the Town Clerk be directed to advise the Registrar of the AGCO on March 2, 2020, Council of the Town of Oakville opted-in to allow retail cannabis stores within the Town of Oakville.
- That staff prepare a Municipal Cannabis Retail Policy Statement by June 2020.
Have your say - it matters!
If you want or don't want Cannabis Retail (bricks & mortar) shops in Oakville you need to speak up, and making a comment on Facebook, twitter, reddit, LinkedIn or any other form of Social Media platform does not count.
Here is the link to all the councillors that represent you. Oakville.ca/council
Email or call anyone or all of them and let them know your opinion. Democracy works best if everyone participates. You can also attend/speak at the special council meeting.
Additional Information Links
- Full staff report (scroll down to Discussion Item 1 and click on Cannabis Legalization, the reports will show on the top right - click on staff report)
- Special Council Meeting information
- Provincial Consultations on Expanding Cannabis Business Opportunities