The City of Prince George is rolling up new rules for potential medical marijuana facilities.
Wednesday night, council approved regulations that enforce not only where a grow op facility can be built, but also requires any potential facility must go through a public hearing.
A critic of the old system, Councillor Dave Wilbur wants community involvement.
“Because we may miss something,” he says. “Having the opportunity to let the public know where [a grow op] is going to be and its proximity to … whatever, gives them the chance to come to council and talk to us.”
Council approved regulations that say a facility would have to go through a public hearing and meet requirements keeping them more than one kilometer from any residential property or correctional facility.
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Councillor Dave Wilbur is happy to see the old system go up in smoke.
“The old system had medical marijuana grown in secret, in neighbourhoods; neighbourhoods that didn’t know it was there, first responders who didn’t know the danger that was there,” Wilbur says. “That’s been fixed with the new system and it gives us an opportunity to direct where it’s going to happen.”
While Wilbur agrees with the new rules that were hashed out, he still has a lingering concern over an appeal from some growers who want to keep the status-quo.
“I’m hoping that that’s going to be concluded soon,” he says. “Because as long as that’s up in the air, there’s a risk we could go back to something that would allow medical marijuana operation in a residence and I’m 100% against that.”
City staff recommended areas like the BCR, Boundary Road, and Danson Industrial Parks as appropriate locations for a grow operation.
