Having extra months for legalization is beneficial for the provincial government says, Premier John Horgan.
Municipalities have been left wondering what both governments plan to do, with Mayor Lyn Hall saying last month that he is interested to see how much money will be provided to them and if it will become a tax burden.
The premier says when the legalization date comes, some municipalities may be left in the dark.
“When you actually get to government and have to put in place the rules there are going to be those who are unhappy with them. I have been fairly consistent on that. There are going to be those currently operating that won’t come October and they aren’t going to happy about that, but our obligation is safety and health.”
The number one question he has been asked is what are communities going to see come legalization day.
“I was in Fort St. James two weeks ago talking to the mayor and council there and one of the very first questions that came up was what is in this for us. I don’t mean that in a what our take of the cannabis cash it was how are we going to manage this.”
Horgan added Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Selina Robinson, has been working with the Union of BC Municipalities and other municipalities to make sure there is a clear understanding of how they will proceed.
The federal government pushed the date back of legalization from July 1st to October 17th.