It’s decision time for many communities in Windsor-Essex.
They must decide whether to allow brick and mortar cannabis stories in their backyards.
The deadline to make that decision is Jan. 22, and there are still many communities who have yet to tell the province whether to opt in or opt out of allowing cannabis sales in their municipalities.
The health unit has visited to local councils, urging them to opt out of allowing cannabis pot shops, but some local residents want their communities to opt in.
“I've heard from my residents loud and clear that they want council to opt in right? It's a big move," says Essex councillor Sherry Bondy.
If Bondy has her way, cannabis retail stores will be allowed in places like Harrow and Colchester.
Bondy knows the community doesn't meet the population requirements to attain a cannabis retail license in the first lottery, but feels opting in sends the right message to Queen's Park.
“It's legal just like alcohol and tobacco so I want to look at those vacancies and try to embrace it because we can't stop it, so we might as well embrace it and be part of the movement," says Bondy.
Windsor city councillor Rino Bortolin believes opting out would be the wrong decision for the Rose City.
“The reality is the black market is thriving off of it today, it exists in our community today,” says Bortolin. “That won't change, it'll just allow us to regulate it and benefit off the tax revenue."
He suggests the tax revenue could benefit the community.
“It's something easy to equate, $300,000/year operates a community centre for us so if we could have $300,000/year of shared tax revenue from the province on this item,” Bortolin says. “That helps us fund a community centre in a community that doesn't have one today."
The matter comes before LaSalle council on Tuesday.
“During the election campaign it might have come as an issue once or twice in conversation," says LaSalle mayor Marc Bondy.
Administration is recommending opting out and Bondy tells CTV News that may be the right thing to do.
“I can't say how council is going to vote but I would say based on administration and the informationI have, it would not make any sense whatsoever to opt in at this point," says Marc Bondy.
Chatham-Kent, Pelee Island and Leamington have opted in.
Tecumseh and Lakeshore have opted out.
Essex and Kingsville councils will decide Jan. 14. The item comes before Windsor and Amherstburg councils on Jan. 21.
The City of Windsor posted an online survey to gather public feedback.
It closed on Friday and the results of shared with council in the report for the Jan. 21 meeting.
