By Aaron Schulze

Humboldt cannabis store location set after quiet public hearing

Nov 14, 2018 | 8:58 AM

After receiving six letters ahead of Tuesday’s public hearing in Humboldt, a meeting on the location of a new cannabis retail outlet in the community ended up quiet. 

No residents who opposed the cannabis store’s location in Humboldt, or a cannabis store in general, appeared during the meeting. Council voted 4-2 in favour of the new store location at Humboldt Commons.

Councillors Michael Behiel and Sandy Weyland opposed the cannabis store location. Behiel said his decision was due to beliefs on marijuana in general, while Weyland’s was on the location at Humboldt Commons being visible to students at Humboldt Collegiate Institute (HCI).

Mayor Rob Muench said there was concern over the store potentially being too close to HCI, but said the City’s bylaws restrict cannabis locations from being within 150 metres of local schools. 

“This was also about over 100 metres beyond that point,” Muench said. “By all means it fit within (the bylaw), which would have passed within any city in the province I believe. We really have to be cognizant that the decision had already been made about the distance and to go back on that would have been a bit hypocritical.”

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Three of the six letters council received before the meeting opposed the cannabis store location at Humboldt Commons, two opposed the store in general, while one approved of the location.

Muench said he’s only had one resident come up to him opposing the cannabis store in person.

“We need to remember this is something that’s been determined legal by the federal government,” Muench said. “We have to do our best as a municipality to make sure that it follows our bylaws and we look at it from a point of view that it’s happening in other jurisdictions, and if they’re not going to get it from here, they’re going to get it from somewhere else.”

“If we don’t have it here we’re going to lose out on taxes.”

Muench also said the front of the cannabis store at Humboldt Commons is discreet.

A representative from Canopy Growth Corporation was in attendance for the meeting Tuesday and said the cannabis store is projected to open at the end of January.

aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow