After much debate at this week's town council meeting, Altona's municipal leaders have agreed to allow the retail sale of marijuana in the community once it becomes legalized in July 2018.

The province has given municipalities the right to decide on behalf of their constituents whether to allow pot retailers to operate in town, but they must make that decision by December 22.

Mayor Melvin Klassen says councillors expressed a variety of thoughts and opinions on the issue.

"It was very apparent that, as far as council was concerned, they wished that they wouldn't have to make this decision. But the feds and province have told municipalities that marijuana is here - how do you want to be involved. So our discussion centred on whether to allow it in town and if we do, then we can determine where it is sold."

Saddling municipalities with those decisions was an issue that some municipal leaders have raised, accusing the Trudeau government of making the decision to legalize weed and then handing it off to municipalities to figure out how to implement it.

"What we are saying is that we're willing to look at allowing pot to be sold in town, but we also want the right to change that if necessary," said Klassen.

Klassen points out that council's decision to allow the sale of cannabis is not binding and municipalities would have the power to ban cannabis sales through a plebiscite.

He points out the town has four years in which it can hold a plebiscite if necessary to give ratepayers a say on the issue.