With the local School Board elections/acclamations before us there is a serious issue facing the board at its first meeting.
The Vancouver Group, Wildflower Inc. is attempting to obtain a license to build a medical marijuana production facility in Rivers Edge but I believe it is intent on operating outside the federal government regulations. Here is what federal regulation 36 says: "No person who holds a license to cultivate industrial hemp shall cultivate it within one kilometer of any school grounds or any other public place usually frequented by persons under the age of 18 years."
The new regulations for corporate grow operations follow similar rules. So let's consider the location this company insists is a great place for them.
The proposed location is:
• Adjacent to a children's camp (zoned for school-use) – 0 km from site.
• within one km from popular regional parks (Top Bridge Park and Englishman River Regional Park).
• Located at the end of a rural residential cul-de-sac with school bus pick-up and drop-off for neighbourhood children at less than 100 meters from the site.
• Located within, and accessed through a family oriented rural residential neighbourhood with walking and biking trails throughout, frequented by children and teens.
The School Board will have to deal with this risk to children now, before a permit is issued to Wildflower not after.
Randy White
Nanoose Bay