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Cannabis shops given green light to sell in Barrie

Council broadens its scope on where cannabis shops could be allowed within the city limits
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(via cheifyc/Pixabay)

Cannabis shops were given the seal of approval by city council Monday night to operate in Barrie. 

Council also broadened its guidelines for where stores could be located in Barrie in a 'public interest statement', which will be sent to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) as a framework for where they'd like to see the shops located.

The AGCO will regulate cannabis stores in Ontario and has the final say in where they are located, but municipalities first had until Jan. 22 to opt out if they didn't want to permit marijuana sales within their boundaries.

Municipalities that are on board with weed sales can also provide guidelines for where they'd like to see the shops sprout up. 

At last week's general committee meeting, members of council we’re in favour of allowing cannabis stores to open in Barrie pending final approval at city council. However, that came with increased distances, over and above the AGCO parameters, from "sensitive areas" such as schools, daycares, parks and community centres. 

With Coun. Barry Ward's amendment, which was passed unanimously, councillors do not want to see the shops open within 300 metres of schools and college locations, or within 150m of locations such as parks and open spaces, addiction facilities, child-care centres or community centres. Council also backed off on allowing the stores near locations that sell alcohol. 

When the original parameters were laid over a city map, Ward pointed out it eliminated nearly every corner of Barrie. 

"It basically means there'd almost be no place left in Barrie to sell cannabis," Ward said. "I know it's just guidelines, but if this was a bylaw, I think it would be challenged and thrown out of court immediately, because we basically said 'yes, you can sell cannabis,' and then said there's no place in Barrie you can sell it."

It's important that the guidelines are "realistic," Ward added.

"Unless we make them realistic, we're asking the province to ignore them completely," he said. 

When the new map was brought up, it was pointed out that more locations would be possible. 

"There's still much of the city where it's restricted, but at least it becomes a bit more realistic, including opening up Bayfield Street to possible places," Ward said.

Stores are permitted to open in Ontario starting April 1, but when the first one comes Barrie remains to be seen.

The AGCO held a lottery last week for the first 25 licences permitting cannabis sales in Ontario. Barrie falls into the East Region, which saw five licences granted. However, it's unknown still how many, if any, of those could potentially be linked to this city. 

"If we're going to bring them here, let's at least make it doable and someone can open one up," Coun. Doug Shipley said. 

Council has also requested changes to the city’s smoking bylaws to prohibit cannabis smoking and vaping in all public spaces, including parks, walkways and sidewalks. A staff report on the city's smoking bylaw is expected in late-February to bring it in line with provincial legislation.

"Currently, our bylaws do not address cannabis," city clerk Wendy Cooke said.


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Raymond Bowe

About the Author: Raymond Bowe

Raymond is an award-winning journalist who has been reporting from Simcoe County since 2000
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