Sylvan Lake Town Council is debating definitions in the Cannabis Consumption Bylaw. Council was expected to give third reading of the bylaw at the June 25 meeting.
Instead of giving second reading, Council chose to table the bylaw until the July 9 regular meeting.
Ron Lebsack, director of community services, told Council the bylaw proposes a ban on the smoking of cannabis in all public places.
A public place, according to the proposed bylaw, is “any place to which the public has access as of right or by invitation, express or implied.”
“That means it would include private properties such as parking lots,” explained Lebsack.
Lebsack went on to tell Council they could look into a different definition, that of a public property.
A public property, would be properties that are open and available to residents and visitors such as sidewalks.
Council has chosen to debate the two definitions to decide which would be the better fit for Sylvan Lake in the Cannabis Consumption bylaw.
“It is my understanding that most municipalities in Alberta are using the public places definition as opposed to the public property definition,” said Lebsack.
A concern Council will look into while discussing the different definitions is policing.
Coun. Megan Chernoff Hanson brought up the idea of policing the substance on a property such as the parking lot at Subway.
“It concerns me that we would essentially be putting the responsibility and enforcement onto the owner,” said Hanson.
The proposed bylaw does not restrict the use of cannabis on a private property. According to Lebsack this could include a private resident’s yard, front step and drive way.
Because the federal government is not expected to officially legalize cannabis until Oct. 17, 2018, Council has time to work out the detail of the bylaw.
“We have time still to go through it and debate definitions,” said Lebsack.
Council is expected to give second reading to the bylaw athlete July 9 regular meeting of council. The third and final reading of the Cannabis Consumption Bylaw will be held until the substance is legalized by the federal government.
The Town of Sylvan Lake is withholding third reading so the public has time to give input and so the Town isn’t “jumping the gun” with its bylaw.
“Same with retail store applications we will wait until federal legalizations comes down,” said Lebsack.