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MD passes cannabis production and retail bylaw

The MD of Bonnyville wouldn't budge on their regulations regarding cannabis production, even for a micro-grow op. On Oct.
22.news.cl cannabis
One MD resident is expressing interest in starting a micro-growing operation.

The MD of Bonnyville wouldn't budge on their regulations regarding cannabis production, even for a micro-grow op.

On Oct. 18, MD council passed first reading of their cannabis production facility and retail establishment bylaw, scheduling a public hearing for their Nov. 14 meeting.

One resident interested in starting a cannabis micro-crop business on his just over six-acre property requested the MD reconsider the 10-acre minimum during the public hearing.

"This is a bylaw we’re probably going to revisit over time, but at this point, the recommendation was to keep it in these (agricultural) areas (above 10 acres or more) at this time. If we have enough people coming in and saying we want it in these areas and it goes to discretionary use, council would look at it at the municipal planning commission either way,” noted Caroline Palmer, director of planning and development for the MD.

According to John Zikowski, the landowner interested in starting a small recreational cannabis growing operation, his residence is "pretty remote," with the nearest neighbour about one-quarter of a mile away.

"I'm surrounded by farmers' fields," he told MD council during the public hearing.

The bylaw, which was passed shortly after the public hearing on Wednesday, only permits discretionary use of cannabis production in agricultural, rural commercial, and rural industrial districts.

Retail establishments are only permitted for discretionary use in rural commercial and hamlet general districts.

Coun. Dana Swigart inquired about the permitting process for a micro-production businesses.

“Is it easy to get a permit from the government to do that?” he asked.

Zikowski said, “It all starts here. I need it to be approved by council to go further… There’s security clearances and applications, it’s a pretty lengthy process."

His plan was to start something "small and low-key," similar to a micro-brewery or winery.

The plants would be kept in a shop that he feels wouldn't even be recognized as a production facility on the outside.

Palmer explained the MD decided to keep the requirement at 10 acres or more, so it couldn't be produced or sold in residential areas.

“My opinion, is to go conservative in the beginning and see what the tone is. Amendments can be made along the way as demands come forward,” she added.

Right now, administration is struggling to give strong recommendations to council, CAO Luc Mercier said, because "there are no strong guiding principles from the federal government or the province on how we should manage these operations."

He added, from what he understands, the MD is being encouraged to take it slow.

Palmer agreed, “This is new territory, we might want to go at this a bit slower."

Reeve Greg Sawchuk said it's better for these facilities to be in the industrial and agricultural zoned areas of the MD. Altering the bylaw to include country residential as discretionary could upset residents.

Council passed the bylaw as it stands, restricting the production of recreational cannabis to certain areas of the MD.

They agreed that amendments could be made down the road if there was a need.

A full copy of the bylaw is available on the MD of Bonnyville's website.

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