Three B.C. cities want Ottawa to share revenue of prospective marijuana tax
VANCOUVER — Three municipalities in British Columbia want a stake in any tax revenue that the federal government collects from the legalization of marijuana.
Nelson, Duncan and Prince George put forward resolutions to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities asking it to put pressure on higher levels of government to ensure tax sharing with municipalities is considered by the federal task force investigating marijuana legalization and regulation.
With eight dispensaries open in Nelson, Mayor Deb Kozak said determining how to regulate and monitor the technically illicit businesses has required considerable city and police resources.
“There is a real cost attached to that and we are not realizing any revenues from (the marijuana) industry at this time,” Kozak said.