City council set to tackle problem cannabis grow-ops in Winnipeg
Cannabis advocate Steven Stairs suggested that added regulation could hurt sick Canadians who have a doctor’s note to grow personal cannabis.
City council has voted to take steps to regulate problem cannabis grow-ops in Winnipeg neighbourhoods.
The issue is complex, as cannabis cultivation, for medical use or commerce, is regulated by the federal government. Cannabis became legal across Canada for people over 18 or 19, depending on the province or territory, in 2018.
In Winnipeg, some people, who’ve been issued a licence to grow medical cannabis abuse the privilege and grow commercial quantities of cannabis, critics say. Some of them say up to 1,500 Winnipeg homes contain commercial-scale grow-ops. Some homes operate up to four medical licences with hundreds of plants.
Many concerned residents have appeared in city delegations over the last two years to speak with councillors about concerns over neighbourhood grow-ops. These concerns include increased organized crime activity, bad smell, lowered property values, destroyed homes and general safety problems.
Cannabis advocate Steven Stairs appeared at City Hall on Thursday to offer his side of the story. Stairs suggested that added cannabis regulation could hurt sick Canadians who have a doctor’s note to grow personal cannabis.
“Now, I’m not arguing about criminal activity plaguing that system,” he said. “I’m talking about the sick Canadians this will affect by putting an overburdened system in place, regulations and licensing that will cost them more money when these people are low income and fixed income. It will put more onus on them to find trusted individuals who can do this for them, who now have to possibly follow a bunch of regulations they’ve never had to follow before. It also really limits reasonable access.”
Also prior to Thursday’s vote, which sets in motion a process to change zoning and licensing frameworks to tackle the issue of problem grow-ops, Laurie Monk shared her views against large-scale growing in residential areas. The activity, Monk said, belongs in Winnipeg’s industrial areas. She isn’t against cannabis use.
“What we are opposed to is houses in communities being purchased for the primary purpose of cannabis production, which prevents families from buying homes in our neighbourhoods,” she said.
“Homes are for people, not factories. The current regulation allows Health Canada-licensed growers to operate without occupying a home. The federal legislation has a large loophole that was quickly exploited by what we suspect are organized crime groups. Although I believe the intent of the legislation was to ensure all Canadians have safe access to medical cannabis unencumbered.”
The public service will report back to council within 180 days with draft amendments to the Winnipeg Zoning Bylaw.
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