A limit on pot shops in Jasper?

Put it in the air.

A working group of mostly law enforcement officials and Parks Canada managers has recommended allowing the market to decide how many marijuana dispensaries can open in October.

The Cannabis Working Group’s final report to Jasper town council is included with the July 10 council agenda and is available on the town’s website.

Their recommendations appear to follow closely with the responses of a survey that attracted the most responses of any such exercise by the town.

That includes what floors they should be allowed on. Residents said top, street level and basement, and that’s what the group says council should get behind. Parks Canada has the final word.

The hours should match those of Alberta liquor stores, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and given the small downtown and its proximity to Seton Health Centre and the school district, there should be no additional restrictions on how close the stores can be to each other.

The town has already requested a variance to the 100 metre buffer rule set by the province.

“This would remove the arbitrary prohibition of certain retail locations that are physically farther from schools or hospitals than permitted locations which are closer, given the layout of Jasper’s downtown and how the distances are measured,” the report states. “Online sales of recreational cannabis by the Province would require the Post Office as a pickup location, which is closer to schools than any C1 property.”

The group recommends banning smoking and vaping in all public places, with some exceptions to be determined.

“The working group recommends that there be places for residents that are not homeowners and visitors … to smoke or vape,” the report continues. “Rather than the municipality “designating” a cannabis vaping and smoking location, which then may attract responsibility and liability, the Province of Alberta chose to allow it where smoking is allowed, so simply hav(ing) some areas not covered by the municipal prohibition is recommended by the Cannabis Working Group.”

And: “Perhaps some areas south and east of Connaught Drive would not be covered by the municipal ban.”

Despite support for the hiring of additional bylaw and RCMP officers to help with enforcement, the group recommended working with the resources already in place.

“Provide resources for training to bylaw officers and municipal staff specific to this issue,” it says. “Provide resources to aid in enforcement, like signage for public and retailer education, in order to manage cannabis smoking with Jasper’s high visitor population requiring ongoing information as new people arrive in Jasper. No additional officers at this time.”

Jasper councillors may or may not decide to set its pot rules in stone next week. Regardless, they also have to approve a business licensing scheme before the electric lettuce is expected to become legal on Oct. 17.

“At this time there is no revenue sharing agreement for local governments to share tax revenues received by provincial and federal governments,” the group concludes. “Some local governments are using business licensing as one avenue to recover this shortfall. The lack of funding to accompany the downloaded responsibility is a significant issue for local governments.”