Edmonton mulls restrictions on selling knives in corner stores

City councillors will look at options Monday to limit knife sales in Edmonton convenience stores, with the potential for an outright ban on blades in corner stores.

Council's community and public services committee will debate a series of options Monday after residents raised concerns about pocket-sized knives being stocked in some local shops. They say not only are they potentially being used for criminal activity, but children can also easily buy them.

Possible action at the municipal level is limited to changing Edmonton's business licence regime. One choice outlined in a new report is the introduction of a new convenience store licence with new rules, or imposing broad requirements for storing and handling knives on any retailer that sells them.

Along with the possible business licence changes, council members will have to decide how far the new restrictions should go.

That could mean stricter requirements for convenience stores to ensure minors aren't buying knives, or they could be entirely prohibited from selling knives.

Convenience stores aren't breaking the law by stocking knives — the ones at issue aren't considered prohibited weapons under the Criminal Code.

Allan Bolstad, with the Alberta Avenue Community League, is among the people who told council members in the spring that the knives are a danger even if they aren't illegal.

"That might not be a bad way to go, is just to say, 'If you still want to be a convenience store, you can't sell any knife at all," he said of the options for new rules.

He told CBC News last week that when he shows people examples of the knives available in some local shops, they're surprised that there aren't more restrictions.

After public discussion about the issue earlier this year, he said he noticed some store owners stopped selling knives, but it's not a change across the board.

"It does seem that they're responding to public pressure, so that's a good thing. So we have to think about more things we can do on that front."

The city report notes that a new convenience store business licence could also be used to prevent those stores from selling other potentially problematic items, like bear spray.

'Open the door for a bit more regulation'

Ward Métis Coun. Ashley Salvador said Friday that a new convenience store business licence could be a useful tool for the city.

"The primary concern is really around that ease of access," she said.

"Subsequent work would have to be done from this, but I do think it would at least open the door for a bit more regulation and set some clear expectations … when it comes to what is sold at convenience stores."

In the spring, many Alberta Avenue community residents shared their worries about knives and other items in local stores, including the president of the Crystal Kids Youth Centre. He said staff at the centre confiscate knives and other potential weapons from young people at the centre every week.

"That's alarming if we know that young folks, youth, are going in and purchasing these types of items," Salvador said.

"Looking at what tools we have to support the neighbourhoods asking for some help is really what the intention is here, but again, recognizing that it is by no means a silver bullet."

City officials say any business licence changes will take up to three years to roll out, because licences are valid for up to two years, and new rules can't be imposed retroactively.