© Can Stock Photo / Tinnakorn© Can Stock Photo / Tinnakorn
Midwestern

County raises concerns over regulations in Cannabis Act

Huron County is asking Health Canada to review some of its legislation around the production of cannabis.

Senior Planner Victor Kloeze says licensed operators and large commercial producers have to adhere to fairly stringent regulations around zoning, and safety and odour.

“But where people are still registered with Health Canada but Health Canada doesn't require them to go through a zoning review before they get up and running and they're to be producing for a maximum of four individuals where they have prescriptions for cannabis consumption for medical purposes," Kloeze stated.

But Kloeze says Health Canada does not require those growers to check municipal zoning, or any other potential impacts, other than prohibiting them from sharing a property line with a school, daycare or playground.

Kloeze says it's clear that the Health Canada regulations, they're really thinking about very small-scale operations.

“The issue that we run into is that some of these designated growers, they're growing hundreds of plants for each of the four individuals. So they're moving into old green houses or older industrial buildings which might have been established, not thinking about cannabis production or that kind of odour," added Kloeze.

Kloeze notes the problem is not unique to Huron County, but exists throughout much of Southwestern Ontario, and the problem is the regulations just haven't caught up with what's happening. So the Cannabis Act is currently under review and the county has sent a letter to the Cannabis Act Legislative Review Secretariat at Health Canada to address their concerns.

Read More Local Stories