Pubdate: Fri, 03 May 2013
Source: Cowichan Valley Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Cowichan Valley Citizen
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/cowichanvalleycitizen/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4349
Author: Sarah Simpson

NORTH COWICHAN PREPARING FOR INFLUX OF POSSIBLE POT PRODUCERS

Coming changes to federal law may pave the way for the establishment 
of an industrial cannabis grow operation in North Cowichan and 
council wants to be prepared for if and when that happens.

In December, the federal government announced changes to the way it 
regulates medical marijuana - to move away from personal production 
licences in favour of centralized commercial-scale indoor marijuana 
cultivation facilities by April of 2014.

"We're talking a big greenhouse to grow pot," Coun. Al Siebring 
clarified during a regular council meeting Wednesday.

Brian Green, North Cowichan's deputy planner, said the current 
regulations are seen as easy to abuse and difficult to monitor due to 
the lack of federal resources. The new system, he said, would be 
modeled after other pharmaceuticals.

"It's a much larger scale operation. It will not be allowed in 
residential locations," Green said. "A federal licence will be 
required from Health Canada. Sales will be restricted to registered 
patients and products will be packaged and labeled as prescription drugs."

The issue is, Green explained, the municipality's current agriculture 
zoning bylaws don't prohibit massive pot factories and North Cowichan 
wants more control than that, should it be faced with a business that 
wants to start up a facility here.

Siebring said an interested grower has already approached them.

On Wednesday, council voted on the first two readings of a bylaw that 
would restrict the location of pot production plants to industrial zones only.

"I just want to be clear that staff didn't write this proposed bylaw 
on a whim," Siebring said. "There's actually some interest in doing 
this here as soon as it's feasible."

Coun. John Koury is concerned for public safety and currently pot is 
being produced "in neighbourhoods all around us," he said.

But, he added, if it's done legally, he's in favour of an operation 
being set up in a clearly defined, appropriately zoned place.

"I think it's important that we become proactive in light of the fact 
that there is some investment interest here," he said.

Coun. Jen Woike wondered if allowing the pot industry into North 
Cowichan would damage its reputation.

"I think that North Cowichan has a difficult time branding itself as 
it is," she said.

As an ambassador for the community, Woike often finds it hard to 
explain where the municipality is.

"I really have to explain my location and I come up with, 'I'm from 
Duncan.' "Immediately," she said, "Not all, but some people go 'Oh, 
you're from Drunken Duncan.' The City of Duncan has worked very hard 
in rebranding themselves to get away from that. I don't want to see 
North Cowichan be the community with the largest hockey stick and the 
largest grow-op."

Coun. Ruth Hartmann said it's not about North Cowichan's reputation.

"This is going to be a facility about research," she said. "This 
facility would be closed and so professional and people won't know 
what they're actually growing inside there. Health Canada is supporting this."

She added that she's not basing her opinion in fear.

"I would be quite proud that we could have a science facility that 
would be creating something that would be helping people in need for 
pain and things like that."

Coun. Kate Marsh agreed, saying she's not convinced the type of 
marijuana that's being crafted by scientists "is the kind that will 
make people stoned."

"I appreciate that this is a product that is going to be more 
available to people who suffer from chronic illnesses because I think 
in lots of ways its been proven it's a lot healthier than some of the 
narcotic drugs that people in chronic pain are forced to take."

Council's starting the process now, but it's long from over. 
Community consultation - including a public hearing - is all coming 
down the pipe.

"I'm very interested in hearing what the public has to say about it," 
Coun. Barb Lines said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom