Drug possession near playgrounds prohibited as of Monday
In a move that aligns almost exactly with a bylaw the City of Fort St. John was working on, the Provincial government, with permission from Ottawa, has said that “possession of illicit drugs within 15 metres of any play structure in a playground, a spray or wading pool, or a skate park will be prohibited,” as of Monday, Sept., 18.
“Seeing the Provincial government get Federal approval in order to make this BC-wide, will ensure it’s enacted faster than our own would be,” said Councillor Trevor Bolin who was behind the proposed bylaw.
Bolin said that when the government went ahead and decriminalized possession, they didn’t have the foresight to consider youth in public spaces, such as skateparks, and playgrounds.
For months municipalities throughout the province have been exploring ways to keep children safe, many of them were considering bylaws like the one Bolin proposed.
“We were one of the first five communities to start this process, and seeing this come to fruition is certainly welcome,” Bolin said. “Part of the reason it’s nice the Province stepped up to the plate and listened to the communities, is that a lot of communities were looking to see what each other were doing.”
The amendment to the B.C. personal drug possession exemption, which allowed possession of small amounts controlled substances, enables the RCMP to enforce the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act when people are found to be in possession of illegal drugs in “child-focussed spaces.”
“It definitely carries more clout, because it becomes a Provincial law, so not only can the RCMP deal with it, but so can the courts,” said Bolin.
“This will certainly be welcome across all municipalities in the province.”