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Town brings cannabis signage back to the table

A future cannabis retailer wants to be treated like any other business when it comes to signage.
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The Town of Bonnyville is bringing their cannabis bylaw back to the table.

A future cannabis retailer wants to be treated like any other business when it comes to signage.


“I wasn’t happy with how the bylaw was written, basically reducing me down to one sign, when every other legal business in Bonnyville doesn’t have that handcuff on them” explained Kyle Sargent, owner and manager of Hive Cannabis Co. “As of Oct. 17, I’m no different from a flower store, a bakery, a liquor store. I should have the exact same rules and regulations placed on me.”


Currently, Bonnyville’s land use bylaw restricts marijuana establishments to one sign identifying their store.


“If I need to have a sign on a meridian that will showcase where the store’s located, I won’t be able to do that because there will already be a sign on the store, which the Alberta Gaming and Liqour Commission stipulates has to be on there,” Sargent stressed, noting the limitation could have a negative impact on sales.


Sargent sent the town a letter, asking them to review the sign regulations during their regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 11. He stated that the current bylaw would be “obstructive” to his business.


CAO Mark Power said council didn’t have any “clear mandate about it” when it was discussed previously, and he felt it was prudent to have the issue looked over again.


Before an amendment could be made to the bylaw, the town had to agree to reconsider the matter. Then, administration can bring the revision back to be discussed before a public hearing. It would then be considered one last time prior to second and third reading.


“The first step is the majority of you have to agree that you want to reconsider it. That’s what the letter is asking you to do, is to just reopen the signage section of the land use bylaw that restricts that you can only have one sign,” detailed Power.


Coun. Ray Prevost was in favour of discussing the restrictions on recreational cannabis retail outlets.


“I think it’s fair that we accept the request and review the cannabis regulations with respect to signage. I remember when we started talking about this, (staff) had limited information as to what was allowed,” he said, adding council could agree to keep it as one sign per business, but it was worth reviewing.


Sargent was please with the council’s decision.


He said, “I feel that writing a letter and not going in there all hot-headed was the way to go. I feel they’re reciprocating that by putting it back on the block for discussion.”


With the legalization of cannabis quickly approaching, retail locations will begin opening throughout the country, demanding the same rights as other businesses.


“This is a legitimate business, whether we like it or not. Other businesses have signs up the highway as you’re coming in, and they have signs in town. On those grounds, we need to review it,” Prevost expressed.

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