Law should be enforced at marijuana dispensaries, says Ottawa mayor

Ottawa's mayorsays until the federal government comes out withnew legislation to legalize marijuana, Ottawa police should be cracking down onillegal dispensaries.

At Wednesday's city council meeting,Coun. Mathieu Fleury asked staff to look into what the city'sby-law and planning departments aredoing to shut down illegal marijuana dispensaries, and to consider what other cities are doing about it.

Residents are concerned about the growing number of shops in Ottawa, Fleury said.

• Illegal marijuana dispensaries popping up in Ottawa

Mayor Jim Watson is interested in Fleury's inquiry, because he said, "It is very much a grey area.

"Althoughmy view is if people are conducting illegal business, if there's evidence that someone isselling drugs,marijuana illegally, then obviouslyyou have to ask the police why they're not enforcing the laws."

Watson points toToronto where police, he said, have been cracking down on dispensaries with much success.

"When you're charged and you're fined and your product is taken away, that sends a pretty good signal that you're probably not going to stay in business very long. And if you continue to go and do it, you're going to be fined again," he said.