Montreal's Saint-Lonard borough wants to ban cannabis stores

The Montreal borough of Saint-Lonardaims toban the sale and production of cannabis on its territory

A public consultation will be held on the zoning by-law modification soon as the borough aims to institute the change by July.

There are currently no Socit qubcoise du cannabis shops in the borough, where smoking the legal product in public is already prohibited by a separate bylaw.

Coun. Dominic Perri says he is disheartened by recent statistics that show first-time cannabis use is up since it was legalized last October.

"On our territory, we want to limit this exposure to our youth," said Perri. "I think the federal government should have educated people a bit better."

When something is legal, he said, it becomes more acceptable.

The provincial government is the only authorized seller in the province andcould overrule any such bylaw, but Perri is convinced that won't happen.

"We also have a law that gives us certain powers, and we're exercising those powers, and I think the government respects the powers that was given to municipalities, and the boroughs," Perri said. "We are using the powers that we have."