A Cariboo Regional District (CRD) director and some of his constituents are raising concerns about a residential property in the 105 Mile area which has a medical license to grow cannabis.
On Friday, March 1, during the CRD’s board meeting Al Richmond, director for Area G, Lac La Hache/108 Mile Ranch, outlined plans to help address the concerns of neighbours, who say their quality of life is being impacted by the cultivation. He noted residents and the CRD have been dealing with the situation for two years now.
“We’re putting together a resolution to go to the North Central Municipal Association and then on to the Union of BC Municipalities,” Richmond said. “If we can get concurrence to UCBM then it goes on to the Federation of Municipalities. It’s how you move pieces through to get organizational support.”
Richmond said the property in question has a medical license to grow cannabis, so the federal government allowed it to go into a residential neighbourhood, contrary to the CRD’s zoning. Most cannabis farms in the CRD are on properties zoned for industrial and commercial operations, not on properties that border residential homes.
“In this case, they got around that by getting a medical license and they are now growing 800 plants in this facility. That’s what they’re licensed for,” Richmond said. “I’m not sure if that number of plants is what I would consider to be growing for personal use or even a few of your friends.”
According to Cannabis Growing Canada, with a doctor’s note, an individual can essentially grow hundreds of plants for medical use. Using a calculator provided by Health Canada which takes into account the yield of plants, the daily amount for consumption authorized by a health care provider and the conditions outside versus inside, a person consuming 95 grams of cannabis a day could, in theory, be allowed to grow up to 463 plants at home. Additionally, according to the Cannabis Act, a person with a medical cannabis license can grow for a friend as well, and they don’t have to live on the property where the cannabis is being grown.
In January Richmond met with a group of the property’s neighbours to hear their concerns. He said the growing of cannabis has caused them a significant amount of duress. They told him the odour the facility produces is strong, waste products are thrown out the back rather than properly disposed of and that there have been several late-night comings and goings. Adding to the irritation is that the property owner does not live in the area.
He also noted several changes have been made to the building without the proper permits, which he finds concerning. However, Richmond said the CRD and local RCMP’s hands are tied because the license for the operation is federally issued.
“It’s been frustrating for us. A lot of time, the federal government doesn’t tell us or the RCMP they have issued these licenses,” Richmond said.
That’s why this month Richmond plans to write letters to both Cariboo Prince George MP Todd Doherty and Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo MP Frank Caputo informing them of the situation. He is hopeful the two will be willing to read impact statements from the neighbours in the House of Parliament and ideally encourage the federal government to reexamine this specific license and how others like it are issued.
A commercial cannabis farm, Richmond noted, could have thousands of plants but would also have odour control, security and have to follow other regulations. He believes that if the federal government is going to issue licenses as large as 800 plants for medical use, they should at least follow similar regulations and be located in appropriate areas.
“I think the federal government is out of touch on these regulations. I think it’s time something has to be changed. If people choose to grow marijuana for their own use and smoke it is up to them,” Richmond said.
“I think when you start to infringe on the rights of others and their quality of life, something needs to be done. Right now that’s not happening.”