Proposed cannabis rules brought forward last week by Port Coquitlam MLA and B.C. Solicitor General Mike Farnworth prompted Coquitlam council this week to halt cannabis-related uses in the city.

Last night (Monday), after a public hearing, council unanimously voted to give final reading to Bylaw 4865 to stop the sale, distribution and production of recreational marijuana until the federal and provincial policies are adopted.

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The ban also gives city staff more time to consult with residents about how they want non-medical weed used in the community.

Marijuana legalization is expected to be in place this summer.

Coquitlam’s public hearing drew one speaker — former BC Green Party candidate for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain Ian Soutar — who talked about grow ops in his native Chilliwack and the need for future health programs.

Currently, only medical marijuana is allowed to be grown in M2 industrial zones in Coquitlam.

Along with the interim prohibition, the bylaw also changes the city’s definition from marijuana to cannabis — a broader term, city planner Chris McBeath told council — and bans medical grow ops on agricultural land.

jcleugh@tricitynews.com