4/17/2019
Mad River Golf Club
Use of Cannabis on Club Property
From Bob Astley on behalf of the Board
April 17, 2019
This message sets out the Board approved policy on use of cannabis on Club property, describes how it was formulated, and comments on related issues.
The use of cannabis is prohibited at all Mad River facilities, except for approved medicinal purposes.
Use of cannabis on site for medicinal purposes will be addressed on a case by case basis through club management to create a personalized accommodation plan.
The full policy is appended to this message and will be posted on both the public section and the member section of the Club’s website.
The consumption of marijuana for recreational purposes was legalized in Canada on October 17, 2018. Ontario and other provinces have set regulations for usage and for retail distribution. Several private clubs have announced their policies on usage, with a vast majority prohibiting use on club property.
The Mad River Board established a task force chaired by director Carrie Russell to make recommendations. Other members were Tony Viner, Stu Hamilton, Brian Swales and Gary Ward.
The first conclusion reached by the task force was that an explicit policy was needed at this time. Mad River should not simply depend on its highly regarded statement of values for guidance. The recommendation to prohibit consumption (except for medicinal purposes) was strongly influenced by an assessment of significant, and in some instances, unknown risks to the Club if consumption were to be allowed. Our insurers could not give us comfort about the financial implications. Also, it was noted that much will be learned through experience in society generally in the next few years. The Club will review the cannabis policy regularly.
The task force and board were reminded that the Club does not have a formal policy on the consumption of alcohol, nor does it have a formal Code of Conduct for members and staff. These topics will be on the Board’s agenda for consideration.
As always, comments and questions from members are welcome, whether at the annual meeting on May 4 or directly to board members or management.