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Cannabis in Blackfalds

What is Cannabis?

Cannabis refers to products made from the leaves, flowers and resins of the cannabis plant. Other names for cannabis include marijuana or pot. Cannabis users smoke, vaporize, or add cannabis to food or drinks.

Cannabis used to only be legal to use with a medical prescription. Today, the Government of Canada’s plans to legalize cannabis allows cannabis to be used for recreational purposes.

Government Roles

Cannabis Legislation

Cannabis was legalized across Canada on October 17, 2018. There are new federal, provincial and municipal processes for cannabis production, sale and consumption.

The Town of Blackfalds has reviewed federal and provincial direction and legislation to help manage the legalization of cannabis in the best interest of our community. See the Town of Blackfalds Land Use Bylaw Cannabis Amendment 1231/18 here.

The legalization of cannabis for recreational use has affected municipalities in a number of areas, including land use management, business licensing, bylaws, public health and education, law enforcement, as well as the social context and human resource policies. Our Municipality was impacted in many of these areas.

Town of Blackfalds' role

The federal and provincial governments determined the roles and responsibilities of municipalities in cannabis legalization. While the legalization of cannabis is a federal decision, provinces and municipalities each have areas of responsibility.

Municipalities, including the Town of Blackfalds, still require details and further clarification from the federal and provincial government, in areas such as public health and education, law enforcement, taxation revenue distribution and facility access. The Town may need to create or change various services, policies and bylaws to accommodate legalization.  

In the process of investigating how to best manage the legalization of cannabis in the best interests of our community, we looked at key elements as we worked through our sub-committees and advisory recommendations.

Sharing information is an important part of this process, including community dialogue.

  • Gathered information, including understanding how Alberta’s framework were applied at the municipal level.
  • Drafted a community-wide-focused bylaw framework once the final draft federal and provincial legislation was in place to legalize recreational cannabis (including defining the level of control municipalities will have).
  • Reviewed bylaws that were amended to accommodate the legalization of cannabis.

The Town of Blackfalds explored its role in:

  • Monitoring cannabis use in public
  • Educating the public on legal cannabis use

Recommendations were brought to Council November of 2018 on the Town’s approach to retail sales production, distribution, public consumption of cannabis.  The Town will be taking any cannabis related applications once these recommendations are adopted.

What is Blackfalds doing?

The Town of Blackfalds updated its bylaws to assist the Town in regulating cannabis stores and use in accordance with the Federal, Provincial and Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation.

The new and amended legislation directly affects the Town of Blackfalds in three key areas:

Council established a Community Cannabis Advisory Committee (CCAC) to assist through the various aspects and needs of implementation and monitoring. The objective of this committee was to draft a Terms of Reference and then determine a strategy that allowed us to utilize our resources effectively to ensure that our Community was adequately prepared for enactment of the legislation.

Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) Legislation

For information about the regulation and applications for cannabis distribution, visit www.aglc.ca/cannabis

Other Related links

Alberta Cannabis Framework

The Future of Cannabis in Alberta

Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation

Legalizing and strictly Regulating Cannabis: The Facts

Bill C-45: An Act Respecting and to Amend the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Criminal Code and Other Acts

Bill C-46: An Act to Amend the Criminal Code (Offences relating to conveyances) and to Make Consequential Amendments to Other Acts

Questions?

For more information about this committee, its sub-committees or if you have questions or concerns regarding cannabis legislation, please contact our Planning and Development department at 403.885.4677