Kelownasa国际传媒檚 mayor says what he heard from the province Tuesday about the rules regarding the distribution and planned retail method for marijuana in B.C. once the federal government makes it legal across Canada July, 1, 2018 was fine.

But it was what he didnsa国际传媒檛 hear that concerns him

Colin Basran said Wednesday the announcement fell short in that it did not address the contentious issue of cost-sharing with the municipalities, an issue he said is a unanimous request among cities and towns across B.C.

And he added the issue of how the private sector will be involved in the retailing of the drug also needs to be clarified sooner rather than later.

sa国际传媒淲ill it be dispensaries or not. We just donsa国际传媒檛 know,sa国际传媒� said Basran.

The province announced the B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch will handle the wholesale distribution of marijuana in the province once it is legalized next July and it will be sold by both government stores and private retailers.

Basran said the clock is ticking for municipalities to learn how much, if any, of the revenues generated by marijuana sales will go to municipalities to handle issues like zoning, enforcement, inspection and other issues associated with allowing stores that sell the drug in the city.

West Kelowna Mayor Doug Findlater expressed the same concern.

He said while his council had not favoured private retailers in the input it gave to the province, if it is to be allowed municipalities must get money to make it work.

Both he and Basran said they favor an equal split among the federal, provincial and municipal governments, of one-third each.

Findlater said his council plans to write a letter to the province proposing that and will try and generate a letter-writing campaign supporting that position by all other municipalities in B.C.

The move to write the letter and start the campaign will be discussed at West Kelowna councilsa国际传媒檚 next meeting Dec. 12.

What the province announced on Tuesday does fit with what Kelowna city council wantedsa国际传媒攁s expressed in its input to the governmentsa国际传媒攚ith the exception of the revenue sharing and specifics about the retail structure.

Basran said he feared if the province waits too long to let municipalities know how it plans to proceed on those two important issues, Kelowna may not be ready in time to deal with allowing private retailers by July 1.

sa国际传媒淚t involves zoning and enforcement, and those are two areas where the city is already pretty busy,sa国际传媒� he said.

Meanwhile, despite the province saying there will be some sort of private retail allowed, Basran said his city has no intention of stopping its move existing private marijuana dispensaries operating illegally in the city.

In West Kelowna, the RCMP has picked up the issue and has written to all the dispensaries operating there warning them to shut down or face the consequences of operating an illegal business.

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