Brampton residents are starkly divided on whether or not to allow retail cannabis stores in the city.

At a public meeting at Brampton city hall on Thursday night, more than 100 concerned residents attended to learn and ask questions of Mayor Patrick Brown, acting CAO Joe Pittari, Region of Peel associate medical officer Dr. Kate Bingham, and Peel Regional Police officers Insp. Brent Magnus and Det. Sgt. Tony Melaragni.

Residents were given a presentation on the status of the decision - whether to opt-in or opt-out of retail cannabis stores in Brampton. The province has given all municipalities - including Brampton - a hard deadline of Jan. 22 to submit a decision.

Brampton city council deferred the decision at its last council meeting, but will decide just a day before the deadline at its Jan. 21 council meeting.

Brown reminded the residents, some of whom appeared vehemently against cannabis legalization, that “the ship has sailed” on that debate as cannabis has been legal in Canada since Oct. 17, 2018.

For Brampton, opting in would mean a share of the revenue. The province has $40 million for all municipalities, of which Brampton would receive a share if the city chooses to opt-in. If council makes no decision by Jan. 22, it will have automatically opted in.

“The province has been very strict in the role the municipality plays in this,” Pittari told residents, alluding to the little control the city has in governing what comes after the decision.

For example, while cannabis stores would be under the regulation of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission, a particular rule requiring stores be a minimum of 150 metres away from schools made several residents uncomfortable as they argued the distance was not enough.

Because of a shortage of supply, the province will only allow 25 retail cannabis stores across Ontario. Five of those for Toronto, six for Durham, York, Peel, and Halton, five for eastern Ontario, two for northern Ontario, and seven for western Ontario.

As Mississauga, Markham, Richmond Hill, Milton, and Oakville have opted out of retail cannabis stores, Brampton, if it chose to opt-in, would get one or two stores. Though Brown noted that in the initial stages, Brampton may not even get one immediately.