By Greg Higgins/battlefordsNOW

Seminar to inform local landlords on marijuana rights

Nov 7, 2017 | 4:00 PM

There has been a lot of confusion over the new marijuana legislation, but an upcoming event in North Battleford is looking to educate local landlords of their rights when weed becomes legal.

The Saskatchewan Landlords Association (SKLA) has been holding seminars to inform landowners of their rights once marijuana is legalized next Canada Day. Ramona Maraj is the property manager at Macro Properties in North Battleford and is a SKLA board member. She attended a seminar in Saskatoon and felt the information was needed in the community.

“With this new legislation there are so many implications,” Maraj said. “There are a lot of landlords in the Battlefords and I think it is important for all of them. Whether they have one unit or 100 units, they should get the information and be informed so that you can know exactly what you are doing on your property.”

Macro Properties doesn’t own houses, but Maraj said it is very important for landlords who rent houses to know the implications if they allow tenants to grow plants. According to the Maraj, marijuana plants create a lot more moisture which can lead to mold. Property owners need to inform themselves of how insurance companies view growing plants before they make their decisions.

Maraj said landlords may have to consider additional bills to cover insurance costs and even electrical as heating lamps are needed to grow cannabis plants.

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Additionally to their own right, landlords need to familiarize themselves with the rights of their tenants.

“There are instances where it becomes a human rights issue because a person has the right to live in a place where they’re not being affected by that [marijuana smoke].”

Maraj said landlords will still have full rights to prohibit the growing and smoking of marijuana on the property. She added all but one of the apartments buildings at Macro do not allow cigarette smoking indoors and once marijuana is legalized, landlords who allow smoking will have a decision to make.

“In a case like that it would be easiest to just make it all non-smoking because it’d be simplest on the landlord. Then again what if you have had people living there for 10 years who smoke? Are you going to tell them all of the sudden they can’t? The main thing here is that people need to be educated.”

Maraj added landlords will still have the right to prohibit smoking all together, even on the balconies of apartments.

The information luncheon is scheduled for Nov. 17 at noon at Blend Restaurant in North Battleford. Seats are limited and registration closes this Friday.

greg.higgins@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @realgreghiggins