Calgary city councillors have approved a minor bylaw amendment that allows for the sale of cannabis at minors-prohibited events, bringing its rules in line with the province.
Councillors voted 6-4 in favour of the bylaw amendments at the April 15 Executive Committee Meeting, opening the door to the mobile sale of cannabis at adult-only events.
The item will still need to survive a debate and vote at the Regular Meeting of Council on April 29.
The proposed bylaw change allows cannabis store operators to apply for a licence extension to sell cannabis at these events. Previously under Calgary bylaws, deliveries of cannabis to these events were allowed, however, it could not be sold by vendors on site.
The item had initially been brought forward by Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner back in February. At that time, Penner said that it was done to ensure alignment between city and provincial rules.
“Cannabis consumption is happening at these events and festivals anyways, in a cannabis-designated area that’s permitted in festivals,” Penner said back in February.
At Tuesday’s meeting, Penner thanked administration for bringing it forward swiftly.
A letter from Alberta Health Services was included as a part of the agenda package, outlining some of the considerations the health authority would like to see in licence applications.
They wanted to see sales restricted to either cannabis or alcohol, but not both. They also wanted to see a reduction in the ability of event attendees to consume both at events.
“To further enhance this protective measure against co-use, the location of the approved cannabis consumption area should be physically separate and distinct from the area where alcohol sales and consumption is occurring,” read the letter from Medical Officer of Health, Dr. Brent Friesen.
Dr. Friesen also asked that rules are followed in limiting the appeal to young persons, compliance with setbacks from schools and healthcare facilities, and that health and safety plans are in place.
‘Everybody’s walking around smoking’: Coun. McLean
The City of Calgary admin said they felt as though this change allowed them to provide more regulation around cannabis consumption at these events. Right now, there are no rules around the delivery of cannabis to the locations.
These rules do not regulate the delivery of cannabis, however. It only applies to the mobile, on-site sales of marijuana.
While the housekeeping amendment went through largely without debate, Ward 14 Coun. Dan McLean made several claims on the impact of marijuana and the increase in THC (psychoactive compound in cannabis).
Retailer-sold cannabis is federally and provincially regulated, with maximum THC limits (10mg) on packages of edible products.
“I’m going to vote no to this report, because fundamentally, I think this is bad for society. It’s changing the psychosis, lots of problems with youth in their brains from smoking this really high content THC,” he said.
“We put it out where it’s normalized. I walk down the streets through Calgary all the time, and it’s everywhere. Everybody’s walking around smoking. I just don’t like it. So, I think this is just a bad example that we’re focusing on and setting an example when we’ve got so much larger issues to be focusing on.”
If it’s approved on May 6, the bylaw would take effect May 15, depending on tolerance.
- Editor’s note: This story originally mentioned the item would come back to the May 6 Public Hearing Meeting of Council. That was incorrect. We regret the error.
