Statement by FCM President on the Government of Canada's Proposed Changes to the Medical Marihuana Access Program (16/06/2011)

The following statement was released today by Berry Vrbanovic, President of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM), following today's announcement by the Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, Minister of Health, on proposed changes to the Medical Marihuana Access Program:

"We welcome the federal government's commitment to develop smarter rules that allow municipalities to do our job protecting neighbourhood safety and delivering front-line policing, fire, and emergency services.

Today's announcement is a step toward common sense cooperation between governments. It recognizes that federal policies must be designed with a clear understanding of on-the-ground realities. It shows Ottawa must work with communities to meet national challenges and deliver value for taxpayers.

Currently many licensed marihuana growers are not adhering to zoning, fire and safety regulations, compromising the safety of communities and increasing the demands on municipal fire fighters, paramedics, and other emergency responders.

Without a process to notify communities when a license is issued, already strained municipal police forces are wasting time and money investigating what turn out to be legal operations.

The changes proposed today by Minister Aglukkaq respond to municipal calls for federal rules requiring all medical marihuana producers to comply with local bylaws and regulations. Municipal leaders repeated that call less than two weeks ago when they endorsed a June 4, 2011 resolution on the issue at FCM´s national conference in Halifax.

Cities and communities are ready to sit down with the federal government to get the new regulations right, and take interim steps to protect public health and safety and reduce costly demands on local police. We look forward to working in partnership with the federal government and getting to work on the new regulations as quickly as possible."