Although recent numbers indicate an increase in the number of drug-impaired driving arrests, the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) reports the overall impact of cannabis legalization has been lower than initially expected.

Police suspect that about 39 drug-impaired driving arrests between January and October 2019 have involved cannabis consumption, versus a suspected 33 arrests during the same period in the previous year.

The picture may become clearer with a report headed to city council this week indicating police expect that factors such as second-wave cannabis products and more legal supply to increase those numbers.

Edmonton police made 134 drug-impaired driving-related arrests in 2019, versus just 115 in 2018, partially attributing improved resources and training to the higher arrests. The suspected number of cannabis-related instances has remained at slightly under 30 per cent of drug-impaired driving arrests over the previous two years.

There are more than 10 times the number of EPS officers currently trained to oversee roadside sobriety tests in the city as was the case in 2015, with the service reporting that 759 officers have received training regarding new cannabis rules and regulations.

The report also indicates cannabis-impaired driving has consequences for police finances and time, with police saying processing a cannabis-impaired driver costs six times more and takes six times longer to process than an alcohol-impaired driver.

The average cost of processing a drug-impaired driver rings in at about $537 per case.

City council approved an additional $1.4 million in funding for the EPS a few months before cannabis legalization came into force in October 2018. Months later, police requested another $3 million in funding to hire an additional 24 cannabis patrol officers, but the bid was denied.

Council has asked EPS to start providing quarterly reports on the legal and financial impact of adult-use cannabis legalization in the city.