Medical marijuana grower looks to set up shop in Eastern Townships
A Montreal-based company is hoping to be the first to open a large medical marijuana grow-op in the Eastern Townships.
Bhango Horticulture has found a property in the township of Potton where it hopes to start operations next year, if it can cut through Health Canada’s new red tape for the industry.
Gael Forest of Bhango Horticulture said starting a grow-op under the new federal rules is complicated.
"The regulations that Health Canada has imposed are very strict. We’ve had to partner with security consultants," Forest said.
Forest said the company will also have to prove its marijuana is up to Health Canada’s standards before it is issued a production licence.
The property in question is on Airport Road, just one kilometre from the American border, and has a beautiful view of the hilly Eastern Townships landscape.
Bhango Horticulture intends to invest $3 million to build a 20,000-square-foot greenhouse there, starting in September 2015.
Potton mayor Louis Veillon said the grow-op would be a welcome addition to the town.
He hopes the new business will create jobs in the municipality.
"As a rural area that’s having a hard time to find new development, this is something looking outside the box," Veillon said.
There are currently nearly 40,000 legal users of medical marijuana in the country, according to Health Canada.
