(File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Alison Sandstrom

New Regulations

Council looks to cap number of cannabis stores in P.A.

Jul 3, 2020 | 1:00 PM

Prince Albert city council is moving ahead with a proposed bylaw that would cap the number of cannabis stores in the city at three.

The measure passed first reading at Monday night’s city council meeting by a 7-2 margin. It will come back for second reading and final approval at a future meeting.

Prince Albert currently has two cannabis retailers.

Coun. Don Cody told council residents have told him they don’t want anymore.

“Why would we want to get more of this on the market like liquor stores,” he questioned. “We’ve got more liquor stores in this city than you know what to do with.”

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Cody highlighted the “hoops” the city’s existing cannabis retailers have had to jump through, including a $20,000 licensing fee from the city.

“I am in favour of maybe keeping those two whole,” he said. “Or else we’ll have a fragmented situation and won’t have anybody who make any money.”

Coun. Botha, who kick-started the discussion about limiting the number of cannabis stores a month ago, echoed Cody’s concern.

“I do strongly believe that by limiting the number of stores, we can ensure that these two or three cannabis stores can thrive into the future,” he said, adding that each existing retailer employs 12-15 people.

Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp, on the other hand questioned where it made sense for the city to give just three stores a monopoly on the legal cannabis market.

“We don’t have any evidence or justification that a lesser number of cannabis stores would do anything positive for our city,” she said.

“Those are property tax dollars. We’re always talking about revenue [and] being open for business – but not in this case?”

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom