City to review medical marijuana grow-op requirements

By Andrea Klassen - Kamloops This Week Published: November 23, 2012 3:00 PM

How many medical marijuana grow-ops are there in the city of Kamloops? The RCMP say three for sure, but city building inspectors estimate more. Health Canada knows, but isn't telling. City of Kamloops staff are hoping a new set of regulations to be discussed at the Tuesday, Nov. 27, council meeting will shed some light on a murky system. As of Oct. 12, 26,222 people across the country are licenced to grow marijuana for themselves or others through Health Canada's marihuana medical-access program. Of that number, 11,486 live in B.C., which boasts the highest share of production licences in the country. A licence allows its holder to grow pot for up to two people — either themselves and another person, or two other medical-marijuana users. City planner Maren Luciani said if two licence-holders team up at a property to grow for four people, a grow-op can run to 200 plants or more. Under Health Canada's medical-marijuana regulations, those planning on setting up a grow operation in Kamloops should let the city know of their intentions, Luciani said. But, it doesn't often happen. "People get their licence and, when they get their authorization package in the mail, there's a disclaimer that says you have to abide by local and provincial regulations as well, or something to that effect," she said. That requires growers to conform to community building codes and zoning bylaws, but Luciani said Health Canada doesn't follow up to make sure producers are abiding by the rules. Because of confidentiality issues, Health Canada doesn't release the locations of medical marijuana grow-ops. "One could pop up and what municipalities are finding — and Kamloops is no different — is right now, we're finding out about them usually based on a complaint," she said. Luciani said proposed Kamloops regulations have a couple of goals: Getting grow-ops out of residential neighbourhoods and clarifying what is expected of growers who want to set up shop in Kamloops. Under the proposed regulations, medical-marijuana production would be limited to either properties zoned for industrial use or those with industrial or agricultural zoning. Of the two options, staff prefer the former.
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