The president of the Union of BC Municipalities has put pen to paper to express his concern about local governments being caught “flat footed” to a sudden change in how cannabis grow facilities are classified on ALR land.
Arjun Singh says the province has suddenly classified cannabis production facilities on ALR land as farm use exempting them from applying to the Agricultural Land Commission.
Singh says the move was done with zero consultation and has created widespread confusion among local governments.
“Now we basically have a gap in time between the provincial change and local government bylaws coming in. That could allow people to bascially to get in there and do things that we wouldn’t want to support. That is problematic. Hopefully people won’t be doing that and they will wait for the regulations to come in and play fairly.”
He says until local goverments scramble to enact bylaws governing cannabis grow operations on ALR land things could happen neither local government nor the province would want.
When Singh was asked what the process is with this unexpected change for any prospective cannabis grow operation on ALR land he suggested going to the closest local government.
“But again it is uncertain. When I say go to local government that is just because that is where I most familiar. There is an uncertainty around what is happening with that now.”
He is asking the province for a number of clarifications including determining what responsibility will now be on local governments to ensure grow operations in the ALR are playing by the rules.
.@UBCM Pres. @arjunsingh has written Forests Min @DonaldsonDoug to express concerns about #cannabis grow facilities no longer having to apply ALC to set up on ALR land and instead it falls on local governments. #bcpoli #munipoli pic.twitter.com/JUZv6HQkId
— shane woodford (@WoodfordCHNL) May 23, 2019