Possible permit for cannabis rally allows organizers to secure insurance

Vancouver park board considers whether it should issue a permit to cannabis event organizers

Possible permit for cannabis rally allows organizers to secure insurance

Risk Management News

By Lyle Adriano

Vancouver’s park board is set to consider whether it should issue a permit to this year’s cannabis rally: the permit would allow the event’s organizers to secure insurance, among other things.

The board was formed in January, composed of city and park board staff, along with police and fire rescue personnel. A steering committee was also formed, to look into improving the planning and execution of the marijuana rally.

Later today, the board will consider two motions, Vancouver Sun reported. The first denies approval or permits for any 4/20 rallies in the future on park board property. If that motion fails, the board will discuss granting the Vancouver 4/20 Events Society a permit to hold its event on April 20 at Sunset Beach Park.

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The board could instruct staff to issue the permit “with all arrangements to the satisfaction of the general manager of the park board.” The permit also gives the event an exemption to the anti-smoking bylaw and would grant vendors the permission to sell foodstuffs, beverages, and other goods.

“While both groups [the board and the steering committee] acknowledge the challenging aspects associated with the 4/20 celebration and protest, they also recognize that the event will occur regardless,” a report by manager of business development Octavio Silva said. “Further, with the impending federal legalization of marijuana, there is recognition that in the foreseeable future, the 4/20 initiative will likely shift from being a protest to a legal celebration.”

The board is concerned that issuing a permit would set precedent and encourage other similar events to occur at parks and beaches. Permitting smoking contradicts the board’s mandate of encouraging health and could harm the board’s reputation, Silva’s report explained.

On the other hand, a permit would reduce the liability to the park board and city, allowing organizers to acquire insurance for their events.


Related stories:
Landlord penalized after revealing renter’s medical cannabis grow-op
Where we are with marijuana insurance

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