HomeMy WebLinkAboutOttawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations — somehow - CBC News - 04/24/2018 - CBC News - 04/24/20184/24/2018 Ottawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations — somehow I CBC News
44®1011 CBC
Ottawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations —
somehow
Additional layer of consultation raises questions of whether stores open in time
Joanne C:Ihiianellllo • CIBC INews ° IPOsted. Apr 24, 2018 4.00 AM IET 1I ILast updated .5 hOurs ago
Ontario Cannabis Stores must now consult Wtlh sclhooll boards before fiinahzMg locations for
retaH Outlets. (David IMdNew/Getty)
When the first four cannabis store locations for Ontario were announced earlier this
month, the single Toronto site caused a ruckus because it was walking distance from
an elementary school, ensconced in a strip mall that houses a McDonald's and Tim
Hortons the students frequent at lunch time.
Both the Toronto School Board and Premier Kathleen Wynne appeared caught off
guard by the store's proximity to the school, about 450 metres away.
http://www. cbc. ca/news/canadalottawa/ottawa-school-boa rds-consu Itation-cannabis-stores-1.4631921 1/6
4/24/2018 Ottawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations — somehow I CBC News
Wynne subsequently ordered school boards be consulted before any more locations
are announced.
That might sound reasonable, but there's only one problem: some Ottawa school
boards have no idea what "consultation" means.
"We're really not sure," said Brett Reynolds, associate director of education for the
Ottawa -Carleton District School Board, when asked how the board would proceed.
He said media reports that the premier called for school board to be consulted on
marijuana retail locations was the first the board heard of the issue. It hasn't been
officially contacted by Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), the LCBO-run organization in
charge of selling marijuana in Ontario once the federal government legalizes it.
IRecreatioinall imairijuaina its expected to be Ilegahzed in (late surmrnelr. (Jlustiiin Taing/Canadiian IPlress)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadalottawa/ottawa-school-boards-consultation-cannabis-stores-1.4631921 2/6
4/24/2018
Ottawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations — somehow I CBC News
Reynolds said the OCS might be looking for "assistance in speaking with our
community, perhaps the are just going to ask our board for an opinion. I don't know,
they haven't contacted us yet to discuss what that consultation might look like."
The Ottawa Catholic School Board also hasn't heard from the province, but wrote in a
statement to CBC that the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association has "reached
out to provincial legislators on matters related to the location of stores."
In a 2017 submission to the province, the association has asked cannabis stores be at
least three kilometres from schools.
Are pot shops on schedule?
Depending on what form the consultation from school boards takes, the extra layer
of discussion could add more time to an already -lengthy process, where provincial
officials are searching for available leases in appropriate locations in municipalities
across the city.
The federal laws legalizing recreational marijuana use are expected to be in force by
late summer. The province has committed to opening 40 stores in 14
municipalities — including Ottawa — by the time pot is legal.
So far, only four have been announced. The OSC is receiving feedback from the
public on those choices, as well has having to consult the school boards.
And it seems there's a possibility that a prospective location could be changed once
it's been announced. In an emailed statement, the OCS wrote: "We will ensure we
have considered local considerations before finalizing store locations."
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadalottawa/ottawa-school-boards-consultation-cannabis-stores-1.4631921 3/6
4/24/2018 Ottawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations — somehow I CBC News
I N
Could this store llogO be cornMg to a neiighbOulrhOOd near you? OCS says it's On track t0 Open
stores in time for pot legalization. (ILCIBO)
Mayor Jim Watson said he was told "there was going to be some announcement a
couple of weeks ago, and it never came to fruition. I don't know what happened.
They assured us that they would give us a heads up by at least by a day, but I haven't
gotten any word on that."
The OCS says it's "committed to preparing for the proposed federal deadline for
legalization."
No formal outcry from parents — yet
The school boards and the mayor say they are not aware of any formal
communications from parents about possible locations of marijuana retailers.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadalottawa/ottawa-school-boards-consultation-cannabis-stores-1.4631921 4/6
4/24/2018 Ottawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations — somehow I CBC News
Mayor) im Watson says the Ilhealyd there was sulplposed t0 be ain announcement for Otta\ a a
coulplle weeks ago, but s0 fair there's beein none. (CIBC INe s)
"I haven't gotten any mail on it," said Watson. "But certainly when I've run into
parents and this issue has come up, they don't want it anywhere near schools where
their kids are going, and I respect that."
General concerns about the stores being close to schools range from kids being
tempted to go into the stores, or possible smoking outside the premises. The stores
will be checking identification in a marijuana -free reception area in the stores, and
the province has made it illegal to smoke or vape marijuana in any public area.
It is very possible that parents will be more vocal once a specific site is announced.
"When people have a better understanding of what the impact for them and their
family and their children and their community will be, then certainly we do tend to
see a greater degree of engagement," said Reynolds.
OCDSB to host open house on cannabis
The OCS says it takes proximity to a school into consideration when deciding where
to put a new cannabis store. But nowhere does OCS specify how close is too close.
Consider that there are no official regulations where LCBO retail locations are
located, although there are restrictions on how close liquor advertising can be to
schools. But the stores themselves? The LCBO voluntarily tries to locate its outlets at
least 200 metres from schools.
Although the boards aren't yet involved in the consultations, the subject is likely to
come up at an information session on cannabis use for parents.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canadalottawa/ottawa-school-boards-consultation-cannabis-stores-1.4631921 5/6
4/24/2018 Ottawa school boards to weigh in on pot shop locations — somehow I CBC News
The OCDSB will host the first of two public information sessions with Ottawa Public
Health on Thursday at Gloucester High School, starting at 6:30 p.m.
ic'),]"D, A i, 'S C", d'
V;,)"cl' /"' , = ij �' J �"") - "" """Ir ;,r, , " i�' �
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-school-boards-consuItation-cannabis-stores-1.4631921 6/6