A proposed cannabis store in The Town of the Blue Mountains (TBM) is drawing concerns over its potential location.
Dimes Cannabis currently has an active application with the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) to establish a cannabis retail store at 49 Bruce Street South in Thornbury.
“It's about the traffic,” said TBM councillor Andrea Matrosovs. “When an office is going to be converted into retail space, that completely changes the kind of in and out traffic pattern that will happen at that building.”
The building's main street location was formerly home to Welke Custom Brokers Ltd.
After speaking with a number of concerned residents, Matrosovs, the council’s point-person for cannabis-related issues, brought the issue forward at a special meeting of council held on Monday.
“Over the weekend, the applicant actually posted their signage, prior to the registrar even granting their permission,” Matrosovs said. “This is causing some confusion in the community in terms of what has been approved and what hasn't.”
In addition to traffic concerns, issues have also been raised about the location’s lack of parking, as well as the close proximity to the Errinrung long-term care home, which hosts Acorn Montessori, a childcare program, within its facility.
The AGCO regulates Ontario’s cannabis retail stores under the Cannabis Licence Act, 2018 and Regulation 468/18. Among numerous other regulations, cannabis stores cannot be located within 150-metres of a school.
Matrosovs says the application has proceeded despite this regulation because Acorn Montessori is considered a childcare centre and not a school.
“I think it would be worthy of us to highlight that there is family and children activity within 150 metres of that location,” she said.
“I would tend to agree with the councillor,” said Nathan Westendorp, director of planning and development services for TBM. “There are family activities in the area, and that should be brought to the attention of the provincial regulatory body.”
A related motion was brought forward by Matrosovs and unanimously supported by council, which directs staff to pen a letter of objection to AGCO citing the aforementioned concerns.
The letter was also circulated to Grey County as Bruce Street South is a County-owned roadway.
TBM’s Deputy Mayor Rob Potter, who has lived and worked in the community for several years and also holds a seat at county council, said the public has a right to be concerned about this proposed location.
“I worked in the building right next door to this for about 20 years. So I'm well aware of what the traffic is like. It is a dangerous place to have a kind of a stop-and-go business and we could see this causing a significant number of cars to park there or at the next intersection on the side street,” Potter said.
In its letter of objection, TBM council has also asked the AGCO to consider expanding the public consultation period for this establishment as they feel residents were not given enough time to comment on the application.
Retail cannabis store applications are subject to a standard 15-day public notice period, which for this specific application, closed on Feb. 2.
“I think if our members of the public knew that this location was being considered, they would have some very strong concerns about it, especially given that children and teenagers are walking past here all the time,” Potter added.
Following the public notice period, AGCO will provide copies of the submissions to the applicant within 15 days. The applicant then has five days to respond to the submissions. At that point the registrar considers all available information and authorizes a decision.
With this timeline in mind, it is estimated that AGCO will authorize a decision on this application anytime after Feb. 22.
Despite the tight timeline, TBM council instructed staff to forwarded its objections to the AGCO regardless of the deadline.
“I think this is the kind of boots-on-the-ground feedback that the registrar needs to hear from the local municipalities who really understand the community, rather than just looking at it on a map from Toronto,” Matrosovs added.
In addition to the Bruce Street South application, there are two additional applications for cannabis stores in TBM currently sitting with AGCO – one proposed at 99 King Street East, Unit C (Kings Court) in Thornbury and another in the Blue Mountain Village at 170 Jozo Weider Blvd.
In 2019, TBM council voted unanimously in favour of allowing cannabis stores in the municipality. At that time, town staff were also directed to develop a cannabis policy, which remains in progress.
“In late 2020, town planning staff and bylaw staff renewed work toward the development of a cannabis policy statement. The statement will provide a council endorsed framework to evaluate these applications and respond in a timely manner,” Westendorp added.
