VANCOUVER — Three municipalities in British Columbia want a stake in any tax revenue that the federal government collects from the legalization of marijuana.
Nelson, Duncan and Prince George put forward resolutions to the Union of British Columbia Municipalities asking it to put pressure on higher levels of government to ensure tax sharing with municipalities is considered by the federal task force investigating marijuana legalization and regulation.
With eight dispensaries open in Nelson, Mayor Deb Kozak says determining how to regulate and monitor the technically illicit businesses has required considerable city and police resources.
Nelson also wants the federal government to give local authorities enough time to align local regulations with a new federal law.
In 2015, the union supported the position that local governments have the authority to regulate marijuana dispensaries and called on the federal government to include marijuana derivatives as part of the legal medical marijuana program.
Members will be debating and voting on the resolutions at the organization's annual convention at the end of September in Victoria.
If the resolutions are endorsed, the union will move forward on putting their requests to the federal government.
