An Edmonton mother is concerned about the location of a new cannabis store, which sits an estimated 20 metres away from her three-year-old son’s daycare.
Jennifer Thibert was dropping her off son, Mathieu, when she noticed a Cannabis House sign on the same building as the Fun Station Daycare.
Seeing it struck her as bizarre, so the mother went back for a second look.
“Sure enough,” she said. “It’s what I thought it was.”
Online, she found the City of Edmonton bylaw that 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?”
It’s not the only childcare facility in Edmonton that can be considered neighbours with a cannabis retailer—but the City doesn’t consider it an issue. In fact, they approved Cannabis House’s location in southeast Edmonton.
A senior planner in Edmonton’s development services department said public feedback asked for cannabis locations to be placed on busy streets and commercial areas, and that the City uses multiple tools to manage the potential for conflict between businesses.
“Zoning is just one of them,” Colton Kirsop said.
The city employee pointed out, for example, that public consumption regulations would restrict cannabis use within 10 metres of doors, windows and bus stops.
Additionally, provincial regulations require the constant adult supervision of children in daycares. In this way, childcare facilities differ from schools, where children may be coming and going or playing without an adult—which is why the 200 metre separation from schools, libraries, recreational centres and some parks was mandated.
However, Kirsop said there is effort to restrict the amount children are exposed to the influence of cannabis, such as rules regarding store signage and visibility of products.
The City’s stance hasn’t reassured Thibert.
“We know it’s not [the daycare’s] fault that this dispensary will be opening, but you know, is it going to be a concern to other parents possibly? Would they want to keep their kids there?” she asked.
“That wouldn’t be fair to the daycare because they are fantastic. It’s not their fault.”
Kirsop said the City has not received other complaints on the topic, given cannabis legalization is still young, but that the City is monitoring complaints.
“It’s possible that there might be an opportunity to make some changes to the way we zone for cannabis stores, but at this point, this is one of the first concerns that have been raised.”
Liquor stores are subject to similar zoning bylaws in that there is no distance required between retailers and daycares.
With files from David Ewasuk
