It'll cost to toke in public

Photo: The Canadian Press

Think it'll be perfectly OK to toke in public in West Kelowna once consumption of cannabis becomes legal in Canada next Wednesday? Think again.

Council has adopted a bylaw restricting cannabis consumption to private property only. The fine for contravening the bylaw – $500.

While the province allows cannabis smoking and vaping to areas where tobacco smoking and vaping is allowed, each municipality has been given the ability to supersede those regulations. West Kelowna has done just that, meaning consumption is allowed only at private homes.

It's the final part of a series of bylaws established by the city in advance of legalization.

Among those, only four cannabis retail stores will be allowed in the city, two in the Westbank town centre and two in the Boucherie centre/West Kelowna business park areas.

Retail stores must be at least 100 metres from the public library, youth centre and schools.

Potential operators would be required to apply for site-specific rezoning at a cost of $7,500. There would also be a $1,000 fee for amendments to retail licences issued by the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.