Cannabis Retail Sales Public Consultation

Background

On October 17, 2018, the federal Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations came into effect,

legalizing recreational cannabis. Cannabis edible, extracts, and topical products are expected to be legalized by the federal government in late 2019. Currently, cannabis retail sales are not permitted in the Township of Langley.  

Federal, provincial, and municipal governments have differing roles in regulating cannabis. The figure below illustrates a simple breakdown of some of the responsibilities related to retail sales.

*Adapted from Federation of Canadian Municipalities “Municipal Guide to Cannabis Legalization”

Cannabis is available legally through government-run stores and the online store operated by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch as well as licensed private retailers. In the Township of Langley, no government-run stores or licensed private retailers currently exist.

The Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch is responsible for issuing licenses for cannabis retail stores. Before a license is issued, the local government, where the proposed store is located, is required to provide a positive recommendation. The Township of Langley is conducting public consultation on cannabis retail sales in order to understand the desires and opinions of community members and stakeholders.

For more information on non-medical cannabis, please see:

• Cannabis in Canada (Government of Canada)
• Get Cannabis Clarity (BC Government)
• Public Safety and Access to Cannabis (BC Government)
• Policy Considerations for Cannabis Regulation (Union of BC Municipalities)
• Municipal Guide to Cannabis Legalization (Federation of Canadian Municipalities)

Public Consultation

The Township of Langley is undertaking public engagement to gather the views and preferences of residents and stakeholders regarding cannabis retail sales. The results of public consultation will be used to inform policy about cannabis retail sales.

Policy development is taking place over three phases:

Phase 1 – Background Research: Best practice research was conducted to identify options for regulating cannabis retail sales in local municipalities.

Phase 2 – Public Engagement: Public engagement is taking place to gather the views and preferences of residents and stakeholders. Stakeholders will be informed and educated about the options for cannabis retail and their views will be gathered through a survey and at public open houses. An engagement summary will be published at the end of this phase.

Public engagement has several goals:

• Provide information on the current regulatory scheme and options for cannabis retail
• Gather the views of the stakeholders on how cannabis retail sales should be regulated and if cannabis retail sales should be permitted
• Communicate to Council the views of the stakeholders gathered through the public engagement program

Public Open Houses will be held at multiple locations across the Township in October 2019. Event dates, locations, and times will be published at the top of this page in early fall and sent to eNews subscribers.

The survey will go live in October and will be available for four weeks through a link at the top of this page and sent to E-Notification subscribers. A paper version will also be available at the public open houses. The survey will collect public opinion on policy options for cannabis retail sales, including whether cannabis retail sales should be permitted in the Township of Langley.

If you are interested in updates on cannabis retail sales in the Township of Langley, please sign up for eNews to receive the latest information, including future opportunities for public input.

Phase 3 – Development of Regulatory Framework: Based on the research conducted in Phase 1 and results of public engagement in Phase 2, a regulatory framework for cannabis retail sales will be developed and presented to Council in late 2019 or early 2020. The framework will address issues such as the prohibition or allowance of cannabis retail stores and a proposed retail model, if cannabis retail sales are to be permitted within the Township of Langley.
 

FAQs

Contact

Community and Policy Planning
cannabis@tol.ca