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By Justine Kelsie

Grande Prairie City Council puts cap on cannabis business licenses

Jun 19, 2018 | 5:34 AM

Up to 15 cannabis retail stores will be allowed in the city of Grande Prairie in the first year of marijuana legalization.

Grande Prairie City Councillors went over bylaw amendments Monday night that will guide where weed will fit in the community. Although an unlimited amount of business licenses were proposed as well as a cap of 20 licenses, the councillors decided on a middle ground of 15.

Councillor Dylan Bressey says a few of the councillors, including himself, were going for a more permissive approach.

“I think that the provincial government has taken a responsible take on regulation. I don’t know if municipalities need to do more regulations than the province is imposing. That being said, there are going to be many approaches to this across the province and I am okay with us taking a different approach than other municipalities,” said Bressey following the meeting.

A proposed amendment at a May City Council meeting had business owners being able to hold two licenses each in the first year. Council decided to knock that down to one.

Council also decided to extend the operating hours a cannabis retail shop can have. Business owners will have the option to be open from 10 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday.

Some of the locations that are up for grabs for retail stores will be up to the discretion of city administration.

Business license intake will begin June 19, 2018, and will be open for three weeks. Licenses will be given in a “lottery style” following the intake period. The fee for the license will be $2500.

Residents in the city will be allowed to grow up to four plants in their household. If someone is found without a permit and does not obtain one after being educated, a $250 ticket can be handed out. If there is illicit growing going on in a home and residents are caught, the suspected grower would have to appear before a judge and could have to pay up to $10,000.

by Justine Kelsie