Pubdate: Sat, 30 Aug 2014
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: Kelly Sinoski
Page: A13

ABBOTSFORD MAYOR SAYS MUNICIPALITIES NEED CONTROL OVER LOCATION OF GROW 
OPERATIONS

Bruce Banman expects other cities will join in petitioning Health
Canada

B.C. municipalities will vote next month on a resolution by the City
of Abbotsford to petition Health Canada for the right to dictate where
medical marijuana growing facilities are located across the province.

The resolution, which will go to the Union of B. C. Municipalities in
late September, follows new Health Canada regulations that prohibit
licensed medical marijuana users from growing pot in their homes. The
federal government regulations now require all licensed medical
marijuana users to mail-order their pot from government sanctioned,
centralized facilities.

Those regulations have been challenged in court, and are suspended
awaiting trial.

Mayor Bruce Banman said his city doesn't want to see centralized grow
operations located on agricultural land in Abbotsford, noting it is
one of B. C.' s largest cities and some areas would take at least 15
minutes for police and fire to reach in an emergency.

The resolution, which calls for the UBCM to petition Health Canada,
suggests municipalities should have the right to decide if and where
the new facilities are built to "permit these properties to be
inspected to ensure safety of all residents and to bring the
properties into compliance with relevant provincial and local
government regulations."

"We should be able to control where any proposed medical marijuana
grow-ops be placed or have the right to deny them outright," Banman
said. "Much of our land borders the United States. There was already
one tunnel dug. We need to ensure our neighbours to the south don't
have a large marijuana factory right next to their border. What if
somebody comes to rob or burgle the product?"

Banman noted Health Canada in the past has refused to provide the
location of those licensed to use or grow medical marijuana, citing
privacy concerns.

This has posed problems for city, police and fire officials who want
to ensure the electrical and building codes are up to scratch, as well
as investigate issues related to home invasions, fires and toxic mould.

Health Canada maintains there were fewer than 100 people authorized to
possess marijuana for medical purposes when the program was introduced
in 2001, but that number has grown to nearly 40,000.

Banman said 830 of those licences are in Abbotsford, yet city
officials don't know where the plants are being grown.

Those with medical marijuana licences have the option to grow their
own pot in their homes, have someone else grow it for them or access
the pot from a commercial facility. Those licences were slated to
expire under the new regulations, but a Federal Court judge granted an
injunction earlier this year to a group of patients who sued Health
Canada over the program because they are concerned about cost and
quality of a commercially grown product.

Meanwhile, Health Canada continues to accept licence applications for
larger medical marijuana facilities. About 14 are listed on the Health
Canada website as being approved across Canada, including in Whistler,
Richmond and Delta, while another 100 to 200 applications are pending
in the province, according to Health Canada.

Banman noted his city has no idea how many of those applications, if
any, may be pending in Abbotsford.

"We have an obligation to ensure residents in the surrounding areas
are safe. We want a record of where these grow-ops are located so if
they come up for sale again, we can ensure that they're safe."

Banman said he expects other cities will support Abbotsford's
petition, saying "we are not alone in this."

Metro Vancouver municipalities have already scored one win over the
new regulations after complaining medical marijuana facilities should
not be allowed to have farm tax status even if they were located on
agricultural land. The provincial government created a new business
classification for the federally licensed facilities after
municipalities raised concerns they would lose significant tax dollars
under the scheme while having to pay more for increased regulation of
the facilities in their jurisdictions.

Under the new rules, medical marijuana production on the Agricultural
Land Reserve will still be an allowable farm use, but will not be
eligible for farm tax status.

The UBCM will be held in Whistler Sept. 22- 26.
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MAP posted-by: Matt