New Westminster city councillors aren’t high on plans to grow medical marijuana in the Queen’s Park greenhouse.
Council has tabled a report that recommend allowing B.C. bud to bloom in the P-8 public works, entertainment and utility district.
“I don’t think we are going to have anybody set up in a P-8,” said Coun. Betty McIntosh. “It (P-8) is the city’s greenhouse.”
Barry Waitt, a senior planner with the city, said it is a “cautious approach” as there is a possibility someone could apply to the city to rezone a property to P-8.
The staff report was in response to changes in the federal Marijuana Medical Access regulations. The federal government is changing the regulations regarding the production of and access to marijuana for medical purposes, with the new system moving away from the production of marijuana by individuals to larger, commercial-scale production.
Coun. Bill Harper expressed concern about restricting the growing of medical marijuana to the P-8 zone, as it could be contrary to the spirit of a Supreme Court ruling on the matter. As proposed, he said the city is making it “almost impossible for anyone to have an enterprise” in New Westminster.
New Westminster Police Chief Const. Dave Jones said concerns have been raised about risks associated with the growth of marijuana at grow operations in residences and commercial proprieties, including mold and electrical issues.
“The current system does not require production operations to demonstrate compliance with zoning, or building and safety regulations,” noted the staff report. “This poses building safety concerns and community safety risks associated with crops being stolen and the involvement of organized crime. The government has indicated that a motivating factor to change the system was concerns raised by municipalities and first responders, such as fire and police, regarding public health and safety concerns relating to the production of marijuana in private dwellings."
Although it has yet to be determined how the new system of commercial production will work, the staff report noted that production of marihuana is currently permitted on a limited number of sites in New Westminster.
“This report weighs the pros and cons of permitting the growing of marijuana for medical purposes on a broader, more permissive basis and concludes that, at this time, the concerns outweigh the possible benefit,” stated the report. “It is therefore recommended that the growing of marijuana only be permitted in the P-8 public works, entertainment and utility district.”
Council tabled the report, and will consider the issue at a future meeting.
McIntosh said she’d like to see medical marijuana distributed in the same way that methadone is handled.
“People who need medicinal marijuana should have it dispensed through the pharmacy,” she said. “The College of Pharmacists won’t get into it. That is a problem.”
