Municipalities should be getting a fair share of revenue from the sale of marijuana once it’s legalized.
That’s the feeling of the Past President of the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association.
It was announced this week that the provincial government will take 75% and the Federal government will take 25% of all the revenue generated.
Dave Canfield stresses all of the responsibility of dealing with the legalization of pot will be on the municipalities, who get no benefit, only extra policing and social services costs.
Canfield says the fight will go on, noting it’s all about “fairness”.
Canfield says there will be added costs to municipalities who are already facing high property taxes and provincial downloading.
He notes the “time of reckoning” is coming, stressing the time to properly fund local municipalities has come.
Canfield believes the government is moving way to fast on legalization and no one is ready.
He says police services across the country and even provinces say they aren’t prepared for the July legalization date, noting the government should delay the implementation by one year.
