Share this Story: Red Deer County councillors wary of new truck stop pot shop
Red Deer County councillors wary of new truck stop pot shop
"What if the next person comes and says I don't want to be beside a cannabis store? Did we do ourselves any favours (by approving)?"
Emma Spears
Oct 02, 2019 • October 2, 2019 • 2 minute read
The retail sale of cannabis falls under discretionary use at the Junction 42 rest stop, which means that Red Deer County's municipal planning commission, which consists of several members of council, has the final say of approval. Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Allowing licensed cannabis sales at a truck stop in Red Deer County, Alberta, has left a bad taste in the mouths of two local councillors who oppose the moral and ethical implications of its location.
Richard Lorenz and Philip Massier voted against approving the development of yet-unknown cannabis retailer intending to open a 1,200-square-foot pot shop located in a strip mall at a newly-built rest area, known as Junction 42, located just off Highway 2, the Red Deer Advocate reports.
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Lorenz is wary of the concept of allowing a cannabis-related business to move in as an inaugural tenant, saying that it could potentially make the space less appealing to other potential businesses looking to move into Junction 42.
"What if the next person comes and says I don't want to be beside a cannabis store?" he asked in a council meeting. "Did we do ourselves any favours (by approving)?"
Massier was also skeptical that a truck stop was an appropriate location for a cannabis store — or, for that matter, a liquor store. "Am I encouraging people to buy cannabis and liquor at a truck stop?" he asked during a recent council debate. "I'm morally caught with this one too."
The retail sale of cannabis falls under discretionary use at the Junction 42 rest stop, which means that Red Deer County's municipal planning commission, which consists of several members of council, has the final say of approval.
One councillor at the meeting asked if the county's rules limited the number of cannabis retailers permitted (there are not), and another said that while members may have struggled with the moral and ethical implications in dealing with retail applications, the drug is legal and the country permits its sale.
"It's a controlled use. It's out of our hands," said Coun. Connie Huelsman. "It's always a challenge to balance moral issues and legal issues," said Mayor Jim Wood. "I don't want to stand in the way of one particular enterprise today."
Despite councillors' concerns, the development application was approved 5-2. Junction 42 is expected to be ready to open for business next month. In addition to a cannabis shop and a gas station, standard truck stop fare such as a Burger King, a pizza place and a Tim Hortons are expected to open in the development.