Prince Edward County will be polling the public through online and telephone surveys as to their position on retail sales of recreational cannabis in the municipality.
Last month, council voted in favour of spending no more than $10,000 to contract a third party firm to gather opinions on whether the municipality should allow sales of recreational marijauna and cannabis products, where such sales might be permitted and the hours when such a store would be open.
Prince Edward County Mayor Steve Ferguson. (Jason Parks/Gazette Staff)
The firm is currently conducting a random telephone survey of Prince Edward County residents. The municipality is also inviting residents to complete a brief survey by 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 21.
“Before making this important decision, council believes it is important to gauge public sentiment and gather additional information,” said Mayor Steve Ferguson. “We encourage residents, if contacted by the polling company, to take a few minutes to answer the questions. And if you are not contacted for the telephone survey, we would welcome your input through the voluntary survey.”
The Province of Ontario is allowing municipalities until Jan. 22, 2019 to pass resolutions declaring their desire to opt out of having private retail cannabis stores located within their jurisdictions. The voluntary survey is posted online (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/W8T8P2N). Hard copies are available at the front desk in Shire Hall during regular office hours between 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
While some councillors felt the survey wouldn’t be beneficial or that the incoming council should approve such an unbudgeted cost, the majority of the previous County government felt the information gleaned from such a process would allow the new group to form an enlightened opinion on the matter.
A defereal of a motion to proceed with the survey would have left the third party firm without the time needed to build the survey and canvass local residents.
For more information, visit the County’s public consultation page (http://www.thecounty.ca/county-residents/public-consultations/). You can also contact community development supervisor Todd Davis at 613.476.2148 ext. 2507 or e-mail tdavis@pecounty.on.ca.