Legalizing Cannabis

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Consultation has concluded

Legalization of cannabis across Canada is expected this summer. The City of Penticton has a role to play in regulating the retail sales and public use of cannabis in the community. There are some important decisions to make and the City wants to hear from residents.


Legalization of cannabis across Canada is expected this summer. The City of Penticton has a role to play in regulating the retail sales and public use of cannabis in the community. There are some important decisions to make and the City wants to hear from residents.


Consultation has concluded
  • City invites discussion on Cannabis Framework

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    The proposed framework for introducing cannabis retail sales in Penticton is now available for residents to review. The framework was developed based on results of a city-wide survey this past spring and was first shared with Council at a meeting on July 3. The City has published a summary of the framework along with a map on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca in preparation for community engagement activities later this month.

    The proposed framework for introducing cannabis retail sales in Penticton is now available for residents to review. The framework was developed based on results of a city-wide survey this past spring and was first shared with Council at a meeting on July 3. The City has published a summary of the framework on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca in preparation for community engagement activities later this month.

    “The city-wide survey provided great direction for the development of the framework,” says Blake Laven, Planning Manager. “After reviewing our proposed approach with the business community and other stakeholders and with recent information about the provincial licensing process, we have made some refinements and are now ready to more formally share the recommended approach with residents.”

    The proposed cannabis framework is one of four topics that will be discussed at an open house on August 28 at the Penticton Trade & Convention Centre between 4 pm and 7 pm. Key features of the framework include:

    • The City of Penticton will allow retail sales of cannabis in the community when it is legalized.

    • Retail stores will be permitted downtown and in established commercial areas. Stores will not be permitted on the 100, 200, and 300 blocks of Main Street or Front Street.

    • Retail cannabis sales will be added as a permitted use in the C4, C5 and C6 zones identified by the City’s Zoning Bylaw. As a permitted use, a rezoning application will not be required.

    • Retail stores will not be permitted within 300 m of a public or private, primary, middle or secondary school. This distance will be measured as a buffer from the school property.

    • Stores will not be permitted to be located within 300 m of another licensed cannabis retail store in the downtown, nor within 750 m of another licensed cannabis store in other areas of the city. This distance will be measured as a buffer from the store footprint.

    • The number of stores will be limited to approximately seven with the creation of buffers. The City will not set a cap on the number of stores.

    • The operations of stores will resemble the rules for liquor stores. Stores will be allowed to operate during similar hours (9 am to 8 pm seven days a week) and the sale of accessory items would not be allowed to exceed 20%. Security measures including video surveillance must be in place and operation at all times.

    • The City will require adherence to all provincial storefront requirements and the following City of Penticton requirements:

      • Storefronts must be transparent and present a positive image to the street to which the storefronts (complete window coverings are not permitted)

      • Signage and display materials must not include graphics intended to appeal to minors, show the use of cannabis, or promote intoxication (for example works such as ‘high’, ‘stoned’, ‘chronic’ etc., may not be used)

      • Roll shutters or security bars are not permitted to be installed in any area visible from the street to which the store fronts.

      • Video surveillance is required inside the store and covering any entrances and exits outside the store.

    • The City of Penticton will defer to the provincial government process to conduct security screening and financial integrity checks of the applicant.

    • The City will only receive and consider applications from prospective retailers that have been referred to the City through the provincial government licensing process.

    • Whereas tobacco use is allowed in select public locations, smoking and vaping of cannabis will not be allowed in public. Smoking and vaping of cannabis will only be allowed on private property.

    • The City’s Smoking Bylaw will be updated to reflect the restrictions on public use of cannabis.

    Residents who cannot attend the open house can also review materials and share their feedback by completing a feedback form on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca beginning August 24 through to September 7. Paper copies will also be available at City Hall and the library. The feedback gathered through this next round of engagement will be used to refine the proposed framework and prepare the necessary regulatory documents for Council to consider this fall. Still to be confirmed is the City’s approach to processing applications for retail storefronts that are referred by the provincial government. A copy of the proposed framework is now available on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca.

  • Council hears Legalizing Cannabis survey results and proposed framework

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    The results of the City’s Legalizing Cannabis survey results and a draft framework of the regulations were presented to Council as part of the Committee of the Whole meeting on July 3. Council received the results of the survey into the record and endorsed the proposed framework to allow the next phase of consultation to proceed.

    The survey was completed by 1,151 participants. One of the key findings of the survey is that 78% of citizens support allowing and regulating legitimate cannabis businesses. Some of the other key findings include:

    • Participants support allowing retail sales downtown and in established commercial areas but not along the city’s lakeshores or in neighborhood corner stores
    • Participants support capping the number of stores
    • Participants strongly support requiring a minimum distance from schools
    • Participants would like to see the hours of operation of stores restricted
    • Participants would like to see use limited to private property

    Based on these results, staff drafted a proposed framework for regulating retails and public use. Some of the key features of the proposed framework include:

    • Retail stores would be added as permitted uses in established commercial areas (excluding the lakeshore and neighborhood commercial). As a permitted use, rezoning applications would not be required for request that meet regulations.
    • Exclusion Zones (300 m) would be created around schools, select commercial areas (100 to 300 blocks of downtown and Front Street). Exclusion Zones would also be created between stores (300 m for those stores located downtown and 750 m for all other locations). The establishment of Exclusion Zones would essentially cap the number of stores to seven.
    • The operations of stores would resemble the rules for liquor stores. Stores would be allowed to operate during similar hours (9 am to 8 pm seven days a week) and the sale of accessory items would not be allowed to exceed 20%. Security measures including video surveillance must be in place and operation at all times.

    Areas that require further investigation are the process and requirements for a new business. Some of the features of the process currently being considered include requirements for a business plan, security plan, and elevations of the store frontage.

    The next phase of engagement will be completed over the next few months with the goal of taking a final recommendation to Council in advance of the October 17 date put forward by the federal government for legalization. Staff will be meeting with key stakeholder groups and prospective retailers as part of this next phase to gather feedback on the proposed framework. An open house for the community will also be hosted later this summer. The results of the survey and the draft framework are available on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca in the Council Report for review.


  • Draw for t-shirts

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    The City has received a great response to the t-shirts used to promote the campaign. “Just about everywhere we go on-line and in person, we get requests for extra t-shirts,” says Kleb. “We are going to see how we can turn that interest into more survey completions.” The City is going to hold a draw for the exclusive t-shirts when the survey ends. Anyone interested in entering the draw is asked to share the City’s survey post on Facebook or Twitter as well as complete the survey before May 4. Paper copies are also available at City Hall and the Library for anyone not able to complete it online.


  • Encouraging response to the survey

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    Early survey results show there is an appetite to provide input into the rules for retail cannabis sales and public use of cannabis in Penticton. Staff launched the survey on April 16 and in the first week, received nearly 800 completions as well as hundreds of new registrations on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca, the City’s online engagement platform.

    The slogan ‘WEED like to hear from you.’ seems to be setting the right tone as we are hearing from all walks of life including many people that have not previously been involved in City engagement activities,” says JoAnne Kleb, engagement strategist with the City of Penticton.

    Staff took advantage of April 20, an important day in cannabis culture, to be in the community discussing what legalizing cannabis could mean to Penticton as well as to promote participation in the survey. They visited the community centre, the Okanagan lakeshore, downtown businesses, as well as the 4/20 gathering at Okanagan Lake Park. Staff also visited the Penticton Senior’s Drop-In Centre on Tuesday.

    Early results from the survey show that the majority of people agree that regulating and legitimizing retail cannabis sales will be good for Penticton. “There is more alignment on this topic than one might expect,” says Kleb. “We’re off to a good start but would like to hear from more citizens. It’s important that we hear from as many people as possible as the feedback we gather will be shaping the City’s policies.”

    The survey is the first step in the engagement program. With the feedback collected, staff will develop draft policies that will be shared with the community and discussed with affected stakeholder groups before a recommendation is made to Council.


  • WEED like to hear from you!

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    The City has kicked off the engagement program to involve the community in developing the rules for retail sales and public use of cannabis with the release of a community survey. Now available at shapeyourcitypenticton.ca and in paper at City Hall and the Library, the survey will run from April 16 to May 4.

    “This is a very important survey as citizens are being invited to help set the rules for retail cannabis sales and public use in the city,” says JoAnne Kleb, Engagement Strategist. “The data we gather will directly influence staff’s recommendation and inform Council’s decision, and ultimately determine what you see on city streets.”

    The survey is the first step in the engagement program. Residents will be asked to what extent they support the retail sale and public use of cannabis, where it is acceptable, and if there is support, how many stores should be allowed, how far apart should they be and what they should look like. Based on the results of the survey, staff will draft the appropriate bylaws and test them with the community in an open house and online later this summer.

    Registration at shapeyourcitypenticton.ca will be required to complete the survey to ensure participants are from Penticton and make only one submission. Residents who complete the survey will be entered in a draw for two prizes of up to $300 towards a June 2018 utility bill on an active residential account. Paper copies of the survey are also eligible and are available at City Hall.

    The City has also launched a new project page on shapeyourcitypenticton.ca to be a central resource for information on the legalization of cannabis in Penticton and opportunities to get involved. The City is hosting a forum for discussion on the page as well as links to key documents and information to assist you in forming your opinion.