Pubdate: Wed, 05 Feb 2014
Source: Peninsula News Review (CN BC)
Page: Front Page
Copyright: 2014 Black Press
Contact:  http://www.vicnews.com/eeditions/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1373
Author: Steven Heywood

GROW OP PROPOSED

Application Comes As North Saanich Council Votes To Allow Medical
Marijuana

A grower of medical marijuana has given notice to the District of
North Saanich that it wants to set up a grow operation on McTavish
Road and a recent council vote would allow it.

Those plans added a twist to council's recent debate over whether to
allow medical marijuana production sites in their community. Cannan
Growers Inc. wrote on Jan. 16 to the District, fire department and
local RCMP indicating their intent to seek a licence to produce
medical marijuana. In the letter, Cannan spokesperson Roberto
Bresciani stated they intend to make formal application to Health
Canada "on or around Feb. 7."

Mayor Alice Finall asked during the Jan. 27 committee of the whole
session if the application would put it outside of any prohibition on
medical marijuana production in North Saanich.

Chief Administrative Officer Rob Buchan replied that a formal business
licence application might have to come in for that to be the case.
Director of Planning and Community Services Mark Brodrick added "the
clock doesn't start ticking until we have a full application."

Councillor Craig Mearns asked if the District can prohibit medical
marijuana production within its borders. Buchan said the federal
government has stated it will honour the wishes of local governments
on this matter.

The application arrived at municipal hall right before council's
scheduled debate over whether to prohibit such operations in the
municipality. In December, council overturned their plan to implement
a temporary prohibition.

They then asked for feedback on that plan from their Agricultural and
Environmental advisory commissions as well as the Peninsula
Agricultural Commission. Only the latter has not yet submitted their
recommendations to council.

The AAC recommended council follow through with its temporary ban,
followed six months later by a review and possible public consultation
on the issue. Alternately, they stated if council allows medical
marijuana production, it should be kept off of agricultural land and
moved into industrial or commercial areas.

The EAC only asked that environmental impacts from any such operation
be evaluated.

Finall said council overturned its planned prohibition in December in
consideration of agricultural producers who might wish to pursue the
option of growing marijuana for medical purposes. After two residents
addressed council and asked that they impose a ban, citing safety and
questionable agricultural value to the community, Finall asked council
to support their original plan to temporarily prohibit medical marijuana.

That motion received the support of Coun. Elsie McMurphy, stating once
the District allows it, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to go
back.

"I think it's a knee-jerk reaction if we support this motion,"
countered Coun. Ted Daly.

He said he didn't want to be in a position of telling agricultural
land owners what to do, when growing marijuana for medical purposed is
legal. Daly added that comparing this sort of operation to illegal
grow ops is "a tangent."

Council voted not to implement a prohibition, a decision that was to
be ratified at their Feb. 3 regular meeting (result not available
prior to PNR press time Monday).  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D