A group of area residents is spearheading a petition to stop the retail sale of cannabis in Altona.

Altona town council approved the retail sale of weed in the community back in December of 2017, after no public objections were submitted at that time.

However, opposition was raised this fall after town council approved a location for the retail marijuana outlet in Altona's downtown.

In a written statement, Cindy Heppner says members of her group were opposed to the location and have initiated a petition to stop the process.

Heppner says they have no intention of causing division in Altona but are simply trying to create awareness to the potential negative impact a cannabis store could have on the community.

"We love our town and community and...we would like to continue to live in a town whose council is progressive in terms of healthy living and with concern for our elderly and young children. The petition is about giving the citizens of Altona the opportunity to have a voice in the matter."

Mayor Al Friesen says, according to the Safe and Responsible Retailing of Cannabis Act, the decision that town council made in 2017 to allow the retail sale of cannabis is not binding and can be changed through a plebiscite.

The building which has been zoned for the Westleaf shop is located on the east side of 2nd Street NE in downtown Altona

"The plebiscite can only be triggered by a petition, or if town council itself decided to ask for a plebiscite. If a petition with the signatures of 20 percent of the voters came to council, then council would need to respond. Holding a plebiscite is like holding a by-election. It will be a $5,000 cost to the taxpayers of the community."

Friesen notes that once a petition is submitted to the town with the required number of names there is a period of 30 days to verify the signatures on the petition. Following that, town council would have to set a date for the vote.

The group of citizens has had 90 days to acquire 620 names on the petition, which represents about 20 percent of the eligible voters in the community. That puts their deadline for submitting the petition to the town by Wednesday, January 29. By the end of Thursday, January 23 the group had already secured 500 signatures.

This past October, town council gave the green light to Calgary based Westleaf Inc. to establish its retail outlet in Altona's commercial district.

"The petition was kind of surprise to us," said Friesen. "Up until recently, we really have had no negative feedback at all, so we've been in contact with the company (Westleaf Inc.) to let them know what happens.

Friesen admits the petition has created some uncertainty for Westleaf, and its plans to set up a cannabis retail store in town.

"If you were a company looking to invest a sizeable amount in a community, would you do that if it seemed as if the doors might be closed. I can't speak for them, but we've tried to keep them up to speed on where things are at."