Cannabis in Brock
Consultation has concluded
Where we are in the process
We are currently in the final stages of creating a Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendment to control Cannabis as a land use in the Township of Brock. You can access all of the project information in the right column of this page and connect with the project team to ask questions below.
Join Us for a Virtual Statutory Public Meeting being held March 15, 2021
Purpose of the Meeting
The purpose of this Statutory Public meeting is to present the Zoning By-law Amendment (ZBA) and Official Plan Amendment (OPA) to deal with the issue of Cannabis in Brock. This meeting replaces the previously scheduled April 6, 2020 Statutory Public Meeting that was cancelled due to the COVID 19 pandemic emergency order.
On February 26, 2020 a draft ZBA and OPA was presented to the public at two open houses held at the Rick MacLeish Memorial Community Centre in Cannington. Valuable input from residents was received through comment sheets and during the Question and Answer period. That feedback was used to revise the draft Zoning By-law Amendment and Official Plan Amendment. It is the revised versions of these documents that will be presented to the public at this Statutory Public meeting.
On-Line Meeting Format
Should you wish to speak or provide comments at the Statutory Public Meeting, please register with the Clerk’s Department in advance of the meeting by emailing clerks@townshipofbrock.ca.
Individuals who do not register in advance will be permitted to speak at the meeting. A link to join the meeting will be posted at least five (5) business days in advance of the meeting at www.townshipofbrock.ca/cannabis. All individuals whom wish to make oral comments will have not more than five (5) minutes in total.
We Want Your Input
On-line Consultation: Please view the presentation that will be shown at the Statutory Public Meeting (in the right-hand column of this page), access the Zoning and Official Plan Amendments in the Documents and Resources section, and provide your feedback until March 17, 2021. This on-line consultation portal has been designed to provide all project information to residents to best serve your information and consultation needs.
Individual Meetings with the Project Team: please email planning@townshipofbrock.ca or call 705-432-2355 ext. 235 to speak to Debbie Vandenakker and schedule an individual meeting with a member of the project team. These meetings can be held virtually or by telephone. The feedback from these meetings will become part of the project record.
Written Comments: Please submit written comments to planning@townshipofbrock.ca on or before noon on March 11, 2021. Comments may also be mailed or dropped off at the Township Office at 1 Cameron Street East, Cannington, ON L0E 1E0. Any questions received will be addressed verbally at the meeting. Please note that the privacy of commenters will be protected in the public meeting.
Should you have any questions about how to participate in the Statutory Public Meeting, please email clerks@townshipofbrock.ca or call 705-432-2355 and request the clerks department.
How We Got Here...
The Cannabis Act came into force on October 17, 2018. Medical Cannabis is regulated by the federal government. The Province of Ontario sets rules around the retail market leaving municipalities with the responsibility of controlling the growth and production of Cannabis as a land use that supports the Cannabis market supply. Please see the important links in the right column for more direct access to Health Canada Resources.
On April 8, 2019, Brock Township passed an Interim Control By-law (ICBL) that prohibits the growth or production of Cannabis in Brock anywhere other than already zoned industrial lands. We did this so that we had time to study this new land use, it's impacts and the best way for Brock to control this land use for our residents. The Land Use Study is the basis of the draft Zoning By-law. As the ICBL is set to expire April 8, 2021, a new Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendment (to give force to the by-law) are required.
On February 26, 2020, Township staff in cooperation with EcoVue Consulting, hosted two Open Houses to present the public with the Draft zoning by-law amendment and Draft Official Plan Amendment. A Statutory Public Meeting was scheduled for April 6, 2020 but was cancelled due to the COVID 19 emergency order.
Since that meeting, Township and EcoVue staff have made revisions to the draft Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendment based on what we heard during the 2020 consultation process. Now that revisions have been made, we will take the revisions to a Statutory Public Meeting on March 15, 2021.
We know Cannabis is a complicated issue and that there are a lot of different scenarios that are possible for our residents. We have made every effort to develop a set of rules (by-law) that both limits the potential negative impacts of Cannabis operations and provides economic opportunities to our farming community.
Next Steps.
Following the virtual Statutory Public Meeting on March 15, 2021 staff will be reviewing the comments received and making any necessary changes to the Zoning By-law and Official Plan Amendment. We hope to present the final by-law to Council on March 22, 2021 for approval. There is an appeal period of 20 days following Council's approval at which point the Zoning By-law Amendment process will be complete.
To measure the success of this by-law, we will be keeping this consultation project open for residents to ask questions, provide information or to voice concerns. We are committed to ensuring the best land use control tool we can provide for our residents.
Have a question for the Project Team?
Please email planning@townshipofbrock.ca or call 705-432-2355 ext. 235 to speak with Debbie Vandenakker if you have a question regarding Cannabis in Brock.