With recreational marijuana set to be legal in Canada in less than two months, some property managers at apartment buildings in Winnipeg are drafting cannabis policies.
Lakewood Agencies, a subsidiary of Ladco Company Ltd., issued a cannabis policy to tenants at all 14 buildings it manages Monday.
The policy states: “No smoking or vaping of cannabis-based products (including marijuana) is allowed or permitted at, in or on our properties (including inside the suites, on balconies and patios and common areas inside and outside).”
“I don’t understand what’s the difference between smoking a cigarette or smoking a joint? It’s going to be legal,” said Erica Shrutwa.
Shrutwa is a tenant at Birchwood Terrace on Portage Avenue.
“I don’t understand what the big problem about it is. I guess maybe people just don’t like the smell.”
Kim Scott also lives at Birchwood Terrace. She is questioning the policy, too.
“I think what people do in their apartment is their business. It is becoming legal, and I personally have no problem with it,” said Scott.
Lakewood Agencies tells Global News it’s banning pot in all of its buildings, totaling more than 1,600 suites to maintain the status quo for existing buildings and tenants.
In a statement the company says: “When they decided to rent one of our apartments or town homes, our tenants considered things like the building and its surroundings, the lease conditions, and the expected behaviour of the tenants. Our policy clarifies that nothing will change for them after marijuana becomes legal in October.”
Tenants can still light up a cigarette but they won’t be able to smoke a joint anywhere on their property.
The Professional Property Managers Association said companies are trying to set up policies that are fair for all tenants.
“The largest concern all landlords have is damage and disturbance,” said Avrom Charach, spokesperson for the Professional Property Managers Association.
“The real concern is secondhand smoke and the effects that has on people. Eat all the cookies and brownies and everything else you want as long as you’re not disturbing anyone else.”
As for medical marijuana, Lakewood Agencies said that’s evaluated on a case-by-case basis, but “we don’t expect that our tenants who have a prescription to smoke medical marijuana will be affected.”