News

Cannabis moratorium

Published on June 3, 2019 by oz. staff

The Okanagan Indian Band has passed a moratorium on cannabis stores that don’t comply with The Cannabis Act.

Signed by five of 10 band councillors, the resolution prohibits establishing or commencing the operation of any cannabis dispensary on band land.

It comes with a caveat that says: “This resolution does not apply to the production and distribution of cannabis licensed by Health Canada under applicable law.”

The resolution took effect after being signed on May 27, 2019 — meaning it doesn’t seem to apply to Indigenous Bloom, which has a location on OKIB land just outside of Kelowna.

Chief Byron Louis did not sign the resolution.

The resolution was posted May 31 on the OKIB website.

Indigenous Bloom has been operating at its location on Commonwealth Road, off Highway 97 between Kelowna and Lake Country on OKIB land.

Chief Robert Gladstone of the Shxwhá:y Village is one of those behind Indigenous Bloom, which also has locations in Williams Lake and Chilliwack. He told the oz. earlier this year that Indigenous Bloom is operating under their inherent right to self-determination and through land codes that allow them to create their own laws.