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“By hiding pot shops, if you will, in places where people can’t see them or where kids can’t see them or they’re hard to find or for some reason that gives you some sense of security of it being safer for people, I don’t think that’s right,” Sparks said. “I think it needs to be out there for everybody.”

The separation distances, including the building-to-building measurement rather than a door-to-door measurement, which would mean that businesses such as Jupiter, which sells cannabis-related products, could not open a marijuana retail shop in adjacent storefront if it were awarded with a marijuana retail licence. Jupiter’s existing business is at the rear of a building that is located along Broadway, which is within the 60 metre separation distance from Ecole Victoria.

One of Jupiter’s owners told council that if the bylaw passed as is, it would have to find a new location for its application.

That was something the led Coun. Darren Hill to affirm he would not be voting in favour of the zoning bylaw changes as is.

“I’m still concerned about Jupiter and its operations and when I hear from the planning department that it’s easier to measure from lot line to lot line, that causes me great concern. We have a month to still figure this out properly, so that we can treat each individual business fairly,” he said.

Coun. Ann Iwanchuk said she would be voting against the bylaw changes as is because “we don’t have it right and we do have time to get it right.”