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As many chiefs of police across Canada are expressing concern over the introduction of bill C-45 which will legalize marijuana next summer, Vancouver’s top cop is more optimistic.

Vancouver is a city where police have a reputation for looking the other way when someone lights up, but that doesn’t mean the new law that would legalize pot doesn’t come without its challenges for Vancouver’s Chief Constable Adam Palmer.

READ MORE: Canadian police forces ask government to postpone legal marijuana date past July 2018

Palmer says among them is how the pot will be supplied, how it’s going to be dispensed, and how it’s going to impact youth.

“How it’s going to affect our schools, our enforcement provisions — because that will change under the new legislation coming out — training for our officers, impaired driving is a big issue having the right tools in place so we can deal with [drivers] impaired by drugs.”

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Palmer said Vancouver police will be making use of the coming months to ensure the force is ready for the change.

“Over the next year, the next 10 months or so until the law changes, it’s going to be busy times depending on how that landscape’s going to look,” Palmer said.

“No matter what the timeline is, I’ll tell you we’re going to make it work here in Vancouver but the timeline will be tight and it’s going to be a challenge.”

Representatives of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police recently told the House of Commons health committee they’re not ready for legalized pot, and want the bill postponed.

Bill C-45 is expected to take effect by July 2018.