By Cheryl Jahn

Municipalities Still Waiting For Pot Revenues

Jun 20, 2018 | 1:04 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – As of October 17th, Canada will be the first industrialized country to legalize recreational marijuana nationwide. And the Province of BC says it’s ready.

“Government passed the Cannabis Control Act and the Cannabis Distribution Act,” says Mike Morris, MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie and the Opposition Critic for the Solicitor General. “So all that infrastructure is in place in preparation for the federal bill to be passed.”

But local governments are still waiting for one major question to be answered.

“One of the primary concerns that I have is around health care, RCMP, the security piece,” says Mayor Lyn Hall. “What are those costs going to look like for the City of Prince George? And, in order for us to cover those costs, it’s imperative that we know what the dollars are that we’re going to receive from the provincial government under that share they have established with the feds.”

In the meantime, City Administration has been pouring over the various municipal bylaws that will have to be tweaked as a result of the legalization of cannabis, such as the Outdoor Smoking Bylaw and business licencing. 
 
However, government reminds Canadians that, until Bill C-45 is passed this Fall, pot is still illegal.

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