Marijuana may not be legal yet, but the Town of Carrot River is already looking at a bylaw to regulate its use in its public spaces.
Over the next month, the town will be developing a marijuana, vaping and smoking bylaw.
“This is a great opportunity for us to actually kill a few birds with one stone,” said Kevin Trew, the town’s administrator.
At the recent Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Convention, the town asked about the public consumption of marijuana. They were told to expect it to be allowed only at licensed spaces, very much like alcohol. That lead the town to question if that means both marijuana and alcohol will be allowed at places that can be licensed for alcohol. In Carrot River, the town square, community hall and arena can be licensed.
“We have to be wary that any bylaws that we make cannot contravene provincial or federal legislation; however, when it comes to consumption in public spaces that are owned by the Town of Carrot River, we can definitely make a bylaw to that effect,” Trew said.
As for vaping, the administrator said it has been a limited issue at some of the town’s indoor public spaces, so the town wants to get ahead before it becomes more of an issue.
In regards to smoking, it is currently legal to smoke at outdoor places like the town square. Trew wants to look at restricting that at public events.
It’s not the first time in the town’s history that it has tried to get ahead of the province in terms of legal drug consumption.
“Many years ago, before smoking indoors became illegal in the province of Saskatchewan, the Town of Carrot River actually made a bylaw regarding smoking inside public spaces, in the skating rink specifically,” Trew said.
