CENTRE WELLINGTON – Centre Wellington council will be asked to make a decision on cannabis stores, whether that be to continue not allowing them in the township or to change course and permit retail cannabis in Centre Wellington.
A report going forward at Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting gives Centre Wellington council these two options to consider with no recommendation either way.
After cannabis legalization in 2018, the Township of Centre Wellington exercised its right to opt-out of allowing retail cannabis in December 2018.
In May 2023, Centre Wellington council directed staff to prepare a report to re-examine this decision in light of a delegation by a local resident and county councillor for the township to opt-in to retail cannabis.
The report noted a recent survey of over 900 residents indicated almost 75 per cent of respondents supported cannabis stores in Centre Wellington, a 10 per cent rise from a survey done prior to the initial decision to opt-out.
Of 414 lower or single-tier municipalities, there are 353 municipalities who have opted-in to retail cannabis including 15 who reversed an initial decision such as fellow Wellington County municipality the Town of Erin.
“In feedback from municipalities who have opted-in, several noted they have not been successful when providing comments and objecting to proposed cannabis retail locations in their communities,” the report stated. “Municipalities also reported no issues with clustering, vagrancy around stores or complaints related to the stores.”
The report said the creation of additional jobs, increased investment in commercial properties and potential increased property tax assessment revenue may benefit the local economy.
The average revenue of a cannabis store in Canada was about $133,000 per month in 2021, according to the report and in 2022 Canadian cannabis users reported an average spend of $65 per month on cannabis products.
A resolution to opt-in is final and can not be reversed. Municipalities become a commenting agency on applications but are unable to create a larger buffer zone around schools, currently 150 metres.
This decision will be considered at a committee of the whole meeting on Nov. 14, held in the River Room at the GrandWay at 4 p.m. due to renovations taking place at council chambers. This meeting will not be livestreamed and any decisions will need to be ratified by council at a future meeting.
