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Mayor wants in on marijuana revenue to cover legalization roll out costs

Jul 21, 2017 | 5:00 PM

Despite marijuana not set to be legalized until July 1, 2018, there is a haze over where the expected tax revenue will be directed in the province.

Mayor Greg Dionne said he would like to see pot revenue shared with municipalities to cover roll out costs, an idea echoed by his colleagues Charlie Clark in Saskatoon and Regina’s Michael Fougere.

“I think it is fair that we get some of the revenues strictly because to cover some of the expenses,” Dionne said. “That is why I am out of the gate with the other mayors saying we want some of the revenue. I want to make sure that rolling out legalizing marijuana does not cost my taxpayers.”

Earlier this week, Premier Brad Wall said the revenues should be spent on education and preventing drug impaired driving. But city mayors want the money to pay for the additional costs that will come with enforcing and regulating pot in their communities.

Dionne said the Prince Albert Police Service has already had to pay to send two officers to the U.S. to train them to detect drugged drivers. He believed additional policing and regulation costs would come alongside legalization.

“For the sale of liquor, they have liquor inspectors and now are they going to have marijuana inspectors or is that going to fall on our bylaw officers?” Dionne asked.

Depending on the nature of taxation, Dionne said it could be up to the federal or provincial government to dole out marijuana revenue. But either way, he wants it to come back to P.A. The mayor is also floating the idea of directing tax dollars to the police college to train officers and certified instructors to deal with substance abuse and other drug related matters out of the gate.

Though the topic has not been a major item at mayors meetings as of late, Dionne believes that as the legislation comes out, municipalities will have to come together.

“This is what the feds say, this is what the province says, so let’s, as cities, be universal in our rules,” he said, adding he was confident both levels of government would be receptive to feedback.

At the annual premiers meeting in Edmonton earlier this week, many of Canada’s premiers said Ottawa need to provide more clarity on the pending framework or face a call to delay the July 1 legalization date. Dionne agreed that the short timeline caught him off guard.

“[The province] will want to put their spin on it and then we will want to protect ourselves and put a spin on it as well,” he said. “I think they need to give us a certain time length to implement it.”

 

tyler.marr@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @JournoMarr