• Right now, cannabis being sold in Membertou is unregulated, meaning there are no checks if the supply is safe, no restrictions on where it can be sold, and no accountability for products that don't meet safety standards.
• Community members – from youth to Elders – are concerned about the decline in safety throughout Membertou due to the operation of independent cannabis stores.
• As we develop this Law, your feedback is needed to ensure it best reflects the needs of our Community today and for the next seven generations.

• The Law is an act of exercising Membertou’s inherent right of self-government and authority to govern resources according to Netukulimk which is a knowledge system that supports economic well-being without jeopardizing nature.
• While the proposed Law will be updated based on Community feedback, the intent is to prioritize the safety of every Community member.
• Under the proposed Law:
  • Chief and Council will regulate and control cannabis through a new licensing regime.
  • Membertou will gain a distribution license to ensure the safe and efficient supply of cannabis to those with a retail license
  • Community safety and economic opportunities are balanced.

A Community vote is needed to pass the proposed Law.

No, the proposed Law is an act of exercising Membertou’s inherent right of self-government and authority to govern resources according to the culture, traditions, customs and laws of Membertou. The proposed Law is not about shutting down independent stores. Instead, it is intended to provide operators an opportunity to operate a legal, safe operation—free from raids and ensuring that every product meets quality standards.

Membertou Chief and Council (“Council”) is responsible for administering the law, including issuing, suspending, or revoking licences, and designating areas for retail cannabis sales. Council may also investigate and inspect the premises and activities of retail licence holders.

Chief and Council will have the authority to issue two types of licenses: Distribution and Retail.

• Distribution licence will be held by Memertou itself or an entity created by Membertou. It will permit Membertou to sell cannabis to a holder of a retail licence. Membertou will only distribute cannabis products that have been inspected and approved by a regulatory control body, contracted by Membertou.
• Retail licences will be granted by Chief and Council. This will allow retail licence holders to sell cannabis products to individual consumers.

Under the Draft Law, the store owner must meet all the following criteria to be eligible for a retail licence:

• Be a Membertou member
• Be at least 19 years old
• Have no criminal record for an indictable offence related to organized crime or trafficking controlled substances, and possibly violent crimes.

Right now, Chief and Council are considering four possible locations for cannabis stores. Store will be built by Membertou and will be available for lease to licensed cannabis retailers. While the store locations are still be decided-on, under the proposed Law, store owners will not be able to sell cannabis from a location that is within:

• 200 meters of a building frequented by minors
• a residential building
• an area not designated for the sale for cannabis by a Membertou zoning bylaw

Stores also must not sell cannabis and cannabis related products in a space that other non-cannabis related products are sold.

The four possible locations are:

Contact Symone Marshall, Communications Officer, to arrange a one-on-one session to provide your feedback.

• • Email: symonemarshall@membertou.ca
  • Phone: 902-578-1743.