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Winnipeg asks province for time to set up zoning process for cannabis stores

The city of Winnipeg wants the province to give it time to develop zoning rules for cannabis stores. The government of Manitoba is no longer doing a social responsibility location review.

City caught unprepared for an end to provincial location reviews for pot stores

Sean Kavanagh · CBC News ·
A man in a black cap leans over and sniffs a jar of cannabis, held in front of him by a woman behind the counter of a retail store.
The City of Winnipeg's zoning gap could mean a cannabis retailer could potentially open near a school, church or other sensitive location. (Lyzaville Sale/CBC)

The City of Winnipeg has been caught off-guard by a change in the provincial rules on cannabis outlets.

The provincial government's launch last spring of Phase 3 of its framework for retail cannabis came before the municipality could establish rules to decide where marijuana retailers can set up shop.

The absence of a process has the city asking the province to continue its social responsibility location review process, until it can develop a zoning bylaw to assist in reviewing potential retail cannabis locations.

The city had stayed out of regulating the locations to this point.

A letter from Michael Jack, the city's deputy chief administrative officer, to the director of operations for Manitoba's Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Authority, says the city only found out in June about the province's decision to end its location reviews.

"The city does not have any rules or processes in place for reviewing cannabis retail locations. To ensure the sale of cannabis does not negatively impact the general public, a solution would involve an amendment to the Winnipeg Zoning Bylaw. In the meantime, Winnipeg would benefit from LGCA reimplementing the social responsibility location review process," wrote Jack to the LGCA's Kadri Irwin.

If the province doesn't extend its location review process and with the absence of city zoning bylaw changes, a cannabis store could be opened near a school, community club or other sensitive places.

A report to the city's property and planning committee notes there have been no complaints to the city's 311 line about any of the 14 cannabis stores currently in Winnipeg, nor has the Winnipeg Police Service reported a high volume of calls to those locations. 

City staff estimate it will take approximately four months to draft amendments for zoning standards for cannabis stores.

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