CANNABIS CLUB OWNER COULD BE FINED

The City has slapped a no-occupancy notice on Carl Anderson's medical
marijuana shop, saying the establishment is being treated like any
other grow-op in the wake of a recent RCMP raid.

Fines are also being considered against Anderson, who didn't have a
permit to run retail sales out of the Tranquille Road business nor
operate a lab, City development and engineering services director
David Trawin said Tuesday.

"He had a permit to run an administrative office," he said. "We're
exploring if he was contrary to his business licence and if he was
contrary to zoning."

A do-not-occupy order was issued for the shop on Monday. Trawin
expects an inspection of the property will take place later this week
or early next.

The concern, as with any marijuana grow-op, is the building might have
been rendered uninhabitable. He said a no-occupancy order is placed on
any such operation following an RCMP encounter.

"The rationale behind doing that is that, on a lot of grow-ops, there
is not only the mould but water damage, or people have tampered with
the electrical panels and the plumbing and made the building unsafe."

If an inspection shows the building is safe, then the order will be
removed, he said.

"At this point, we don't know what we're dealing with until we get
that professional opinion," said Trawin, adding the City wants the
location to be safe for neighbouring tenants and future occupants.

Anderson was arrested for obstruction Nov.1 when police raided the
Canadian Safe Cannabis Society at 405 Tranquille Rd. He voluntarily
spent the night in jail.

Anderson said he will leave the building as required, as he is a
tenant.

"Under the circumstances, I don't really have any choice but to
comply," he said, adding if he owned the building he would not vacate
the site.

He promised he will continue doing his best to provide medical
marijuana to his customers who need it.

"I am absolutely dedicated to continuing to help people. I cannot
understand why the City would support the actions of the police. Where
are people supposed to get their legally prescribed medical cannabis?

"There is crack houses all over this town. Is that where? Why are they
coming after us. Why don't they go after the real criminals."