Toronto defers debate on pot regulation until the fall
City licensing committee vote to defer discussion of pot regulation to the fall when licensing staff can report on possible regulatory framework, leaving would-be pot deputants fuming.

thestar.com
June 27, 2016
By Betsy Powell

The city of Toronto won’t regulate rogue pot dispensaries anytime soon after the licensing committee voted Monday to defer the issue until the fall, touching off a brief but noisy protest at city hall.

Last month, Mayor John Tory asked staff to look at ways of regulating the marijuana dispensaries that started popping up in some parts of the city. He also called for a crackdown citing resident concerns.

Police and city enforcement staff followed through by shutting down dozens of shops and laying numerous criminal and bylaw infraction charges. Some stores have re-opened, and the city and police have vowed to continue to enforce the law until Ottawa legalizes pot as promised.

But licensing staff, after consulting the legal department, in its report also concluded the city did not have the authority to regulate the sale of medical or non-medical marijuana.

Despite that, the report noted that Vancouver council passed a bylaw regulating medical marijuana businesses, though many applying for the new licence do not meet the zoning requirements.

Staff recommended they report back to the committee on Oct. 25 “with an updated review of the legislative landscape.” The federal government must revise or replace the medical marijuana law by Aug. 24 after the federal court declared it invalid.

As Monday’s meeting got underway, Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti, a member of the licensing committee, moved a motion to defer the debate until fall, arguing it was premature.

“Until the federal government actually legalizes marijuana, municipalities are not in the position of legalizing them, and that’s what people just don’t understand,” Mammoliti said outside the committee room while pot advocates hurled insults his way.

“You’re driving this back underground,” scolded one pot dispensary owner.

Councillor Jim Karygiannis was the lone committee member to vote against the deferral motion, saying the city needs to end costly enforcement actions immediately.

“We have to go back to the drawing board...stakeholders have to be at the table to discuss and have a rational approach on how to move forward,” Karygiannis said, flanked by representatives of the Toronto Dispensaries Coalition.

They were at city hall to urge committee members to embrace regulation and drop all cannabis-related charges laid as part of Project Claudia, the name Toronto police gave last month’s crackdown.

The coalition is hoping to work with the city to bring forward “safe, sensible and reasonable regulations that will be best for Torontonians,” said spokesman Michael McLellan.