Is Centre Wellington prepared for hashish retail shops? John Mifsud says sure

CENTRE WELLINGTON – 5 years in the past, Centre Wellington council opted to not enable hashish shops within the township.

It’s time for that to vary, says John Mifsud.

The Fergus resident has created a web based survey and hopes to persuade council at its Feb. 13 committee of the entire assembly that not solely is there acceptance of marijuana, there’s demand for it.

“There’s been 5 years of legalization and extra social acceptance of hashish,” he mentioned in a cellphone interview.

“We now have a brand new council and a brand new mayor. I feel there’s alternative for this council to permit hashish shops within the township.”

The 29-year-old moved from Guelph to Fergus three years in the past and was stunned to study there have been no hashish shops on the town.

The closest stores are in Guelph or Arthur, he mentioned, including many individuals go to Waterloo to buy marijuana as nicely.

“Full disclosure, I’m a hopeful entrepreneur,” he mentioned. “I’d be excited by opening a retail outlet myself.

“What I hope is with the survey, I’ll get a really feel for individuals’s attitudes.

“I need to persuade council to do their very own survey, to have a look at it once more and both proceed to decide out or lastly enable it.”

The township performed a survey in 2018 and acquired greater than 1,600 responses. That survey indicated:

• 64.1 % of individuals help hashish shops in Centre Wellington, 33.4% of individuals don’t and a pair of.4% have been undecided;
• 49.3 % of individuals want to buy hashish in a authorized personal retailer;
• 38.1 % of individuals don’t use hashish;
• 7.1 % of individuals want to buy hashish on the provincial web site; and
• 5.6 % of individuals want to grown their very own hashish.

Nonetheless, council of the day determined to decide out.

“There’s a notion the outdated council was an outdated boys’ membership,” Mifsud mentioned.

“I received to speak to some (of the brand new) councillors through the election and it appears they could help sluggish, measured progress.

“We don’t need one on each nook, however we have to take away boundaries to entry.”

Mifsud mentioned many individuals with disabilities and continual situations use marijuana for ache reduction and it’s a lot safer to get their provide from a good vendor and simpler if that vendor is on the town.

These with out a approach to get to different centres may flip to the unlawful market, “and you then don’t know what you’re getting,” he added.

In a Dec. 17, 2018 press launch, then-Mayor Kelly Linton defined council’s choice.

“I envision that storefronts would require extra bylaws, which in flip will increase taxes,” Linton said.

“We aren’t ready presently to offset this onto our tax base.”

Mifsud mentioned Linton ignored the actual fact the township will obtain tax income from these companies.

And the Hashish License Act, which regulates retail operations, may be very restrictive about checking ID and guaranteeing youth can’t enter the shop.

“Unlawful enterprises are nonetheless lively on the town,” he mentioned. “Whenever you take away the felony factor, you will note entry to safer product.”

Mifsud launched his survey on Jan. 8, and it closes Jan. 15. He hopes to get 1,000 responses. He’s at 400 already.

The survey might be discovered at www.cwcannabis.ca.