Pot shops welcome in Sault Ste. Marie, while smoking banned from parks

Marijuana stores will be welcomed in Sault Ste. Marie, but the list of places you can smoke it in the city just got shorter. 

City council voted to allow cannabis dispensaries with not one word of a debate on Monday night.

But there was a little more discussion about a proposal from staff that the city's smoking bylaw be extended to include cannabis and to ban the smoking of anything, including tobacco and electronic cigarettes, from city parks.

It passed, with newly elected Sault Ste. Marie city councillor Corey Gardi as the lone vote against.

"If someone wanted to walk down Queen Street smoking a joint, they'd be allowed to, correct?" he asked staff at Monday's council meeting.

"Correct. On sidewalks the smoking of tobacco or cannabis is permitted," replied assistant city solicitor Melanie Borowicz-Sibenik.

"And currently if someone wanted to walk down Queen Street drinking a beer, would they be permitted to?" Gardi asked.

"No, that would not be permitted," she answered.

City council did specifically include the John Rowswell Hub Trail in the bylaw as a place where you can smoke in Sault Ste. Marie.