The Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen will ask the provincial Agricultural Land Commission to remove medical marijuana as an allowable use on Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) land.

The Regional District’s Board of Directors made the decision Thursday in an effort to ensure Regional District input on any local application to license a medical marijuana operation. “My intent was not to ban medical marijuana production from the Regional District or from ALR lands but to return the decision-making back to the Agricultural Land Commission and the Regional District,” said Area “C” Director Allan Patton, who brought the motion to the table.

“Removing medical marijuana as an allowable use prevents an application from being automatic.”
Medical marijuana has been an issue for the Regional Board of Directors since an administration report was delivered last November that indicated the new federal Medical Marijuana Access Regulation — which is scheduled to take effect April 1 — would not require Health Canada to notify a local government of licenses issued within the local government’s jurisdiction.

Directors were concerned the Regional District would have no knowledge of a medical marijuana operation and staff unable to inspect the operation to ensure it was in compliance with building, fire and electrical safety regulations or to confirm the operation was a permitted use in the Zoning bylaw.
The Board of Directors also approved a motion to send notice of its decision to the Southern Interior Local Government Association.