As private retailers get ready to open up shop for cannabis sales, others are calling for greater restrictions on where shops can be set up and what hours they can be open.

Council heard from five delegates during a public hearing about the proposed zoning for cannabis retail at Monday’s council meeting.

Later in the session, council passed first reading on changes to the business licence bylaw around cannabis sales.

Dr. Brendan Hanley, the territory’s chief medical officer of health, was the first to address the city on the zoning changes, and spoke to the hours of operation for businesses.

As he noted, those are the major areas of concern for him when it comes to cannabis sales.

Looking back to October 2018, when recreational cannabis was legalized, he pointed out that two principals were used in guiding the territory’s legislation: the protection of public health and safety, and the protection of the territory’s young people.

Under the city’s proposed zoning, a buffer would be established preventing shops from being set up within 100 metres of a park that has a play structure.

That would mean parks without play structures in the downtown area – Shipyards and LePage parks – could have a cannabis store nearby.

Hanley said he doesn’t have an issue with Shipyards Park, given that it’s spread across a large area.

He did take issue with LePage Park. Youth tend to congregate there, he said, and evidence shows that broadening physical access to substances can increase the amount being consumed.

Hanley then went on to urge the city to reduce the hours retail cannabis shops can be open, a matter that would fall under the business licence bylaw.

The city has been proposing that its business licence regulations for private cannabis retail shops be altered to reflect the Yukon government regulations.

Hanley, however, suggested the city should maintain an earlier closing hour than the territory’s.

Under territorial legislation, private retail shops can be open for up to 14 hours, closing no later than 2 a.m.

Meanwhile, under the city’s business licence rules as they stand now, shops would be required to close no later than 10 p.m.

Urging the city to keep the shorter hours in place, Hanley said that would further protect youth.

He also encouraged the city to proceed with caution as it considers regulations that will be in place for private retailers of cannabis.

For Jordi Mikeli-Jones and Jeremy Jones though, Hanley’s recommendations could end years of work planning and major spending on renovations to 211 Wood St., corner Third Avenue, where they plan to open Triple J’s Canna Space next month.

The building sits across the street – within 100 metres of – LePage Park. The couple outlined their business plans and addressed many concerns that have already been expressed.

“We are part of the solution,” Mikeli-Jones said.

She highlighted plans that would see the shop open only from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. most days.

The exceptions would be Friday, when it would be open from 10 a.m. until 9 p.m., and Sunday, when it would be open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

A portion of the sales are set to go back to various community groups and organizations.

No one under the age of 19 would be permitted in the store, and customers would be subject to a strict code of conduct, they pointed out.

There are also multiple cameras that will be set up in and outside the shop.

Among the conduct expected is that any products purchased are to be consumed at home.

Customers who are found to be consuming near the business would be banned from the store, Mikeli-Jones said.

She acknowledged that “certainly, we’ve taken a leap of faith” in getting the store ready ahead of the city’s zoning changes on cannabis retail.

However, she noted she and Jones have had numerous meetings with Yukon government and city staff to determine a likely location which they wanted to be ready when legislation allows for opening.

Jones discussed the work to the store itself and coming up with their own business rules aimed at public safety,

He also highlighted plans for hosting educational workshops on the safe use of cannabis.

Jones, who volunteers as a facilitator with Smart Recovery, holds 14 certificates on the safe use of cannabis and wants to share that knowledge.

“We have taken the time to make sure we are doing this right,” Jones said. He pointed to evidence showing fewer people are likely to experience addiction to cannabis than other substances such as alcohol and drugs.

In fact, in some jurisdictions, cannabis is being used in harm reduction work.

Also speaking at the public hearing was Thomas de Jager, who owns Yukon Wide Adventures, on Lambert Street.

He spoke out against cannabis sales downtown. He highlighted the complaints he’s received from customers (many who come from countries where cannabis is not legal) about the smell of the drug being smoked.

Also problems are butts from cigarettes and joints that seem to be dropped anywhere on roads and sidewalks, de Jager said.

“I have a right to breathe fresh air,” he said, arguing that cannabis doesn’t need to be sold downtown.

Delegate Yolande Vachon agreed, echoing de Jager’s comments and suggesting creating a site away from public areas where people can consume cannabis.

Vachon said she would like to see efforts made to prevent children from viewing cannabis use as something that’s normal.

Council also received 13 written submissions about the zoning. While one expressed support for the zoning changes, another expressed opposition. The remaining 11 highlighted concerns.

A public hearing report on the zoning changes will come forward next week ahead of the final two readings.

While council won’t vote until then on the zoning, it did pass first reading on the changes to the business licence bylaw.

Second reading had also been scheduled, for Monday evening.

During discussion on the matter, though, it became clear council members wanted to speak with Yukon government officials on the hours of operation for retail locations before moving any further.

City manager Linda Rapp was questioned about the process.

She told council that passing first reading without moving on to second would give officials time to get more information from the Yukon government about its regulations that can come back to council. At the same time, it would not delay the process.

The bylaw – and any information city staff get from the territory – will come back to council next month.

The Yukon government is accepting applications from those wanting to sell cannabis products at the retail level.

The screening process can be anywhere from eight to 12 weeks.