Windsor, Amherstburg opt-in to retail cannabis sales

CTV Windsor: Opt-in debate The decisions to opt-in weren't without some harsh criticism. CTV's Rich Garton has a recap.

On the eve of the province's deadline to opt-out of retail cannabis sales, two more area municipalities -- including the City of Windsor and Town of Amherstburg -- voted to opt-in.

Windsor’s council voted 8-3 to opt-in, with Mayor Drew Dilkens and councilors Irek Kusmierczyk and Ed Sleiman voting against.

It wasn’t before hours of debate, during which time 19 delegates came before Windsor's council, including residents, business owners, a school board rep, a lawyer and members of the local health unit. A strong majority of the delegates voiced opinions against selling retail pot in the city.

That differs from a survey conducted by the city of Windsor, which showed 81 per cent of respondents in favour of opting-in. Municipalities that opt-in before the Jan. 22 deadline are eligible for a bigger cut in possible revenues from the province.

Many residents at Monday’s meeting showed concern with the visibility of pot shops and the city's lack of regulatory control around the proximity of shops to schools and rehab facilities.

"Nothing is more important than the future of our children,” said public school board trustee Linda Qin, who made it clear she is not speaking on behalf of the board. “We should give the safety and prosperity of our community the most priority. We cannot just consider the money that we can earn from selling cannabis."

But Andrew Colautti, a Windsor law student, offered a different take.

"I think the most effective way to ensure it stays out of the hands of teenagers is to opt-in, take the provincial funding, and institute the preventative education programs in our schools," Colautti said.

Also voting to opt-in tonight was the town of Amherstburg, which saw councilors vote 6-1 in favour. Coun. Peter Courtney was the lone dissenting voice around the council table.

Windsor and Amherstburg join Kingsville, Essex, Leamington, Pelee Island and Chatham-Kent with the decision to opt-in. Councils in LaSalle, Lakeshore and Tecumseh opted-out.

Check out this Twitter feed for a highlight of how Windsor councilors voted and what they justified their decisions.