Pubdate: Mon, 28 Apr 2014
Source: Sudbury Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 Osprey Media
Contact: http://www.thesudburystar.com/letters
Website: http://www.thesudburystar.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/608
Author: Laura Stricker

CITY GATHERS INPUT ON LOCATIONS FOR MEDICAL POT

Sudbury will soon get its say on where medical marijuana producers 
should be allowed to grow their crop.

At Monday's planning committee meeting councillors will hear from 
staff on where they think the facilities should go. The floor will 
then open up to hear public input.

The meeting starts at 5:30 p.m. at Tom Davies Square.

As of April 1, medical marijuana is legally accessible only through 
producers licensed under Health Canada's Marijuana for Medical 
Purposes Regulations (MMPR). It's up to each municipality to decide 
where grow ops may go.

The Marijuana Medical Access Program allowed people with licences to 
grow their own. That program ended March 31.

"The regulations establish a system in which licensed commercial 
growers provide an accessible and reliable supply of medical 
marijuana," the report says.

"Health Canada inspects and audits the licensed commercial producers, 
which are required to meet conditions regarding product quality, 
personnel, record-keeping, safety and security, disposal and 
reporting and labeling and packaging.

"Under the new regulations municipalities are permitted to regulate 
the development standards and location of medical marijuana 
production facilities through local zoning-bylaws.

"Licensed producers can be authorized to possess, sell, provide, 
ship, deliver, transport, destroy, produce, export and/or import 
marijuana for medical purposes under the MMPR. These activities must 
take place in a secure facility. Medical marijuana cannot be sold 
directly to consumers from a production facility; the product must be 
delivered to persons with prescriptions for medical marijuana."

So far the city has received six notices of intent to become a 
licensed producer.

Staff recommend allowing production in areas zoned M1-1 (Business 
Industrial), M1 (Mixed Light Industrial/ Service Commercial), M2, 
(Light Industrial) and M3 (Heavy Industrial), with a 70-metre buffer 
from rural, residential and commercial properties.

North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie consider medical marijuana facilities 
as commercial agricultural and agricultural use, respectively, and 
likely won't be changing their zoning bylaws.

Toronto, Ottawa and Chatham-Kent have already changed their bylaws, 
adding land-use and buffer regulations.

Thirteen companies are already licensed under the new regulations.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom