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Province gives cities power to limit cannabis growth on ALR

On Friday, the provincial government announced that local and First Nations governments now have the option to prohibit cannabis production on Agricultural Land Reserves.
Cannabis
The City of Richmond will make a recommendation to the federal and provincial governments for no farm use for the production of marijuana in the city, but industrial use only. File photo

On Friday, the provincial government announced that local and First Nations governments now have the option to prohibit cannabis production on Agricultural Land Reserves.

In Richmond, city councillors have long opposed marijuana facilities on farmland for a number of reasons, including a concern that increased pot cultivation will squeeze out other produce. In fact, the city previously asked the provincial government to impose a temporary ban on ALR use for cannabis production.

According to the province, the change is effective immediately and allows governments “to prohibit cement-based, industrial-style cannabis-production bunkers on ALR land in their communities.”

Last month, the city opted to limit the size of concrete structures on farmland in anticipation of legalization of recreational cannabis.

However, the province clarified that cannabis production can’t be prohibited if it’s grown lawfully in an open field, in a building with a soil base or in an existing licensed operation.

The City of Richmond has said in the past that cannabis facilities should be built on industrial land instead.

With files from Daisy Xiong