Edmonton will be reviewing the bylaws that regulate where cannabis stores are allowed to open after a mother raised concerns about the proximity of one retailer “basically next door” to her son’s daycare.
Jennifer Thibert’s four-year-old son spends five days a week at the Fun Station Daycare. Less than 50 metres away, Cannabis House will soon be opening.
Online, Thibert learned the City of Edmonton mandates cannabis stores must be at least 200 metres away from a school.
“It got me thinking: That’s not 100 metres. So why would the city allow a dispensary to be that far from a school, and yet be in the same building as a daycare centre?”
A city councillor and Edmonton’s mayor responded to her concerns Tuesday.
Councillor Mike Nickel called marijuana and alcohol of “the same sort of standard.”
“Do you throw a liquor store right next to a daycare? I don’t think you should. Should you throw a marijuana shop right next to a daycare. I don’t think you should,” he said.
Meanwhile, Mayor Don Iveson said the city would be reviewing the situation, and that he thinks the bylaws may need additional clarification.
“This all happened very fast and we did our best and the feedback’s been that our regulatory regime has been very smart and fairly flexible to try to make this happen,” Iveson said. “But you know, something that was supposed to happen this quickly, there will be learning and there will be adjustments required.”
Cannabis stores must be at least 200 metres away from schools, libraries, recreational centres and some parks. A city planner told CTV Edmonton this is because provincial regulations require the constant adult supervision of children in daycares, and at schools, children may be coming or going or playing without an adult.
Liquor stores are subject to similar zoning bylaws in that there is no distance required between retailers and daycares.
With files from David Ewasuk
