Toronto’s District School Board is pushing for marijuana dispensaries to be located far from city schools when cannabis is legalized next summer.
During their regular meeting this week, board trustees asked the chair to write a letter to Toronto Mayor John Tory and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne requesting that the school board be consulted in all discussions regarding the regulation and locations of marijuana dispensaries.
The board’s Director of Education has been directed to work towards keeping marijuana dispensaries as far away from schools as possible.
Trustees also asked for a staff report, complete with recommendations, on how to address possible impacts of marijuana legalization and its regulation on the TDSB.
“It’s important that we have a role in these conversations about the possible locations where marijuana will be sold,” said TDSB Chair Robin Pilkey in a press release on Friday.
“We want to ensure that reasonable precautions are taken to ensure safe environments for our students and staff.”
The federal government introduced legislation in April with a goal of legalizing and regulating the use of recreational pot by July 1, 2018.
In September, Ontario’s government detailed its plan to sell and distribute recreational marijuana at 150 dedicated stores run by the province’s liquor control board.
Residents under the age of 19 will be restricted from purchasing marijuana.
With file from The Canadian Press.