With the impending legalization of marijuana, Renfrew County councillors continue to have questions about enforcement at least as it pertains to public consumption of pot.

With the Trudeau government pushing legalization through the Senate to the committee stage, it's anticipated recreational marijuana will be lawfully permitted across Canada by late summer. While local law enforcement are training officers to investigate roadside impairment by marijuana, municipal councils may have to implement their own bylaws to control where cannabis can be consumed.

During their regular monthly session, County council reviewed a report on Calgary city council, who voted to ban the consumption of cannabis in public places, similar to the ban on public consumption of alcohol. Warden Jennifer Murphy said they will need some clearer direction once legalization is passed and enacted before she foresees municipalities coming up with their own bylaws.

“I am hoping there will be some very clear cut rules regarding cannabis across the board,” she said. “As municipalities, we need to know those regulations much like we do alcohol or with cigarette smoking.”

The province has already created an agency that will distribute and retail pot through storefronts and online. It also creates stiff fines that could top $1 million against companies and people who sell marijuana in defiance of the government monopoly. But councillors wondered how this would affect their long-term care homes and other public spaces, where smoking and alcohol is not permitted at the moment. Arnprior Reeve Walter Stack urged caution.

“There's the risk of having a lot of over reaction,” he said. “This is going to happen. It's part of the future but it has to be managed.”

The final Senate vote is currently scheduled for June 7. The provincial and territorial governments in charge of distribution will likely require an additional eight to 12 weeks to complete preparations to sell the drug.