Business owners looking to establish a cannabis production facility or a cannabis retail store in Osler will now have to apply to town council under a discretionary use application.
During a meeting on Wednesday, July 15, Osler Town Council approved an amendment to the community’s zoning bylaw to add both types of cannabis-related businesses to the list of specific facilities requiring discretionary use approval in commercial districts.
According to senior administrative officials at the Osler town office, the change is designed to better regulate the sector. There are currently no cannabis-related businesses in Osler, but an application for a cannabis oil extraction facility is expected to be coming to council in the next few weeks.
Cannabis-related businesses are already subject to a variety of federal and provincial licensing and health regulations.
Requiring cannabis-related businesses to apply under to the municipality under the discretionary use category provides an opportunity for public comments and allows council additional regulatory controls.
A public hearing on the bylaw amendment was held July 15 at the Osler Town Council meeting. The amendment restricts cannabis production facilities and cannabis retail stores to the C1 Commercial District or the C2 Highway Commercial District.
A discretionary use application for a cannabis oil extraction facility is expected to come before Osler Town Council in late August.