Province gives municipalities funding to cope with legal, educational and public safety problems that will result from the sale of cannabis

News 100 blueBy Staff

March 10th, 2018

BURLINGTON, ON

 

On March 7, 2018 shortly before 11:00 pm, Halton Police officers responded to the area of Maple Avenue and Plains Road East in Burlington, in response to a citizen-initiated traffic complaint. As a result of an investigation, Joseph Vaccaro (37), of Oakville was charged with driving while ability impaired and driving over 80 mgs.

On March 8, 2018 shortly after 8:00 am, Halton Police officers responded to a collision in the area of King Road and Plains Road East in Burlington. As a result of an investigation, Christopher McBride (30), of Burlington was charged with driving while ability impaired.

HRPS crestThe Regional police issue regular reports on people who are charged with Driving Under the Influence (DUI) as part of their program to keep the roads in the Region safe.

That task is going to get a lot more difficult when the federal cannabis legalization allows for the sale of cannabis in retail outlets across the province.

At this point in time the police just have to deal with alcohol related offences. When the federal government decides to permit the sale of cannabis related products it will be a much more complex.

Ontario is stepping up support for municipalities and law enforcement to help ensure communities and roads are safe in advance of the federal government’s legalization of cannabis.

The province will provide $40 million of its revenue from the federal excise duty on recreational cannabis over two years to help all municipalities with implementation costs related to the legalization of cannabis.  The amount of money each municipality gets will be determined by population size with no one municipality getting less than $10,000

In addition, Ontario is taking further steps to ensure a safe and sensible transition for communities and people by:

Cannabis logo

Coming to a neighbourhood somewhere in Burlington.

• Increasing the capacity of local law enforcement, including the Ontario Provincial Police, by funding sobriety field test training for police officers to help detect impaired drivers

• Creating a specialized legal team to support drug-impaired driving prosecutions

• Increasing capacity at the province’s Centre of Forensic Sciences to support toxicological testing and expert testimony

• Developing a program to divert youth involved in minor cannabis-related offences away from the criminal justice system

• Creating a Cannabis Intelligence Coordination Centre to shut down illegal storefronts and help fight the unsafe and illegal supply of cannabis products

• Providing public health units with support and resources to help address local needs related to cannabis legalization

• Raising awareness of the new provincial rules that will take effect when cannabis is legalized federally.

Might be time for families to have one of those around the kitchen table talks on what the legislation is going to mean to high school students who get to drive the family car.

 

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1 comment to Province gives municipalities funding to cope with legal, educational and public safety problems that will result from the sale of cannabis

  • Susie

    Isn’t it a sad world we live in when the list of negatives for legalizing cannabis is so much longer than the positives. Makes one think that if there is any common sense left in the minds of those passing such ridiculous laws, they sure aren’t focused or giving any responsible leadership direction.