Cracking Down on Illegal Dispensaries
Believe it or not, many of the cannabis dispensaries in York South-Weston are illegal. These dispensaries are not just evading taxes, they’re also often selling unsafe products and are often linked to organized crime while undercutting the businesses that do follow the rules.
Even when the City shuts down an illegal dispensary, it often just re-opens a few days later.
As City Councillor, I’ll:
- Put an end to this cycle, by fining the landlords who continue to profit from illegal dispensaries even after they’ve already been shut down
- Propose a new bylaw that attaches a special administrative monetary penalty (AMP) or enforcement surcharge directly to the landlord's property tax roll if their building is found repeatedly housing illegal dispensaries. The landlord cannot sell, refinance, or clear the property title without paying the city first.
- Create a policy where landlords must include an expedited, immediate-forfeiture clause in their commercial leases for any violations of cannabis laws.
Bringing Back Businesses
As someone who grew up in York South-Weston and has lived here all my life, I’ve seen plenty of changes to our main streets, and not all of them for the better.
Local businesses in Weston Village and Mount Dennis have seen better days. Small, family-run operations like the corner store my grandmother used to run in Keelesdale are hard to maintain. Commercial rents are too damn high.
As City Councillor, I’ll:
- Propose a Commercial Vacant Properties Tax to fill our empty storefronts and revitalize our main streets.
- Keep our main street clean: clearing out the overgrown weeds and overflowing garbage bins so our streets are something we are proud of
- Bring back the Weston Road Santa Claus Parade
- Bring back the Weston Farmer’s Market on Saturdays