Regina city council makes it easier to set up pot shops downtown

Regina city council voted Monday to loosen the restrictions on potential downtown pot shops.

In May,councillorshad been looking at more restrictive zoning bylaws and a four-month delay for any pot retailer who applied for a downtown location.

On Mondaynight, council decided to change the land use for pot shops downtown.They can be fast-tracked as "permitted use." Before, they were "discretionary use."

The groups that won the right toopen pot shops in Saskatchewan have one year after legalization to be operational. There was concern at Monday's council meeting that keeping pot shops as a discretionary land use and imposing a four-month delay might prevent those looking to open downtown from doing so in time.

Council also voted to let pot shops set up in more areas of the Warehouse district. Before, there was only approval for pot shops on the outskirts of the neighbourhood.

Much has been made in council about safety concerns with regards to children and pot. Coun. Andrew Stevenssaid he doesn't think it's a problem.

"The better comparisons here are the vape shops, the one that exists right across the street from Connaught School, no buffer zone, a greater harm to children is probably the candy store down the street," he said.

Councillors are expected to vote on a pot zoning bylaw next month.