Pubdate: Tue, 21 Jan 2014
Source: Mountain View Gazette  (CN AB)
Copyright: 2014 Mountain View Publishing
Contact:  http://www.mountainviewgazette.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4234
Author: Dan Singleton

MEDICAL MARIJUANA PRODUCTION FACILITY NOT WANTED, MP TOLD

About 50 Mountain View County residents attended a Jan. 10 information
meeting hosted by Wild Rose Conservative MP Blake Richards regarding a
medical marijuana grow operation being proposed for a rural property
north of Cremona.

Held at the Gold and Silver Centre in Cremona, the meeting saw
Richards outline new federal rules for the growing of medical
marijuana, following by questions and comments from those in attendance.

Where in the past patients requiring medical marijuana could grow it
themselves in their homes, under the new medical marihuana access
program (MMAP) the cannabis must be grown in facilities overseen by
Health Canada, said Richards.

Several of those at the Jan. 10 meeting voiced objections to the
proposed Cremona-area facility, saying they have security,
environmental and other concerns.

The exact location of the grow operation is not being released due to
security concerns.

Dale Lesack, a director with Releaf Inc., the company building the
facility, says it will produce medical marijuana for cancer patients
and others under the MMAP, which comes into effect in March.

Mountain View County has already granted a permit for the construction
of a greenhouse at the site.

Lesack said an application for a licence for the facility has been
made with Health Canada. If that licence is granted, the facility
would meet all safety and security rules set out under MMAP, he said.

As a requirement of the application for the grow operation through
Health Canada, Releaf Inc. has already sent a notice of intent to
Mountain View County, as well as to local RCMP and fire department
officials.

No representatives from Releaf or Mountain View County attended the
Jan. 10 meeting in Cremona. Asked following the meeting whether the
parties were invited to attend, MP Richards said yes.

Cremona-area resident Mary Thompson, who lives near the proposed grow
operation, told the meeting that residents have numerous concerns with
the project.

She said those concerns include the following:

* Public safety. "We are 25 miles from the nearest RCMP detachment in
Didsbury," she said. "Our local police department is overtaxed already
and are not out there patrolling all the time. Will there be an
increase in crime here?"

* Water. "How much water will be needed to operate a large-scale
project like the one proposed? Where does the water go?" she said.

* Odour from the plant affecting the "health or well-being of adjacent
landowners," she said.

* Fire. "There is an increased risk for fire and our local fire
department is a small mostly volunteer-run facility with limited
equipment," she said.

* Removal of farmland in a "riparian area suited for farming and the
cattle industry," she said.

* Land prices and quality of life for adjacent landowners. "Would you
buy property next to this marijuana grow facility?" she said.

Thompson called the proposed facility "a travesty" and said the "whole
idea of this project in a rural area is wrong."

"Our great concern is public safety and an element of crime that will
surely follow this project," she said. "Adjacent landowners heard
rumours of this happening but were never consulted or considered in
the effects which will change forever our peaceful farming community.

"We are in awe that a project of such magnitude can be proceeding
without any public input or municipal involvement."

Thompson has sent letters to MP Richards, Health Minister Rona
Ambrose, and Health Canada expressing concerns.

During the Jan. 10 meeting several of those in attendance called on MP
Richards to stop the facility. In response, Richards said he has no
authority to do so.

He called on residents to contact Mountain View County councillors
with their concerns.

"It's up to the county to decide where they (grow operations) can be
located," said Richards. "I would encourage conversations with
Mountain View County."

In an email sent to Thompson prior to the Jan. 10 meeting, Division 2
Mountain View County councillor Patricia McKean said the county has
sought legal advice on the issue and was told that the county cannot
prohibit the facility.

"As for this one, it has its approved permit for construction and we
cannot change the bylaw retroactively. The county has jurisdiction
over land use. If someone wishes to build a greenhouse we provide the
permit for the greenhouse, not for what is grown inside the
greenhouse," said McKean.

In an email sent to Thompson following the Jan. 10 meeting, MVC reeve
Bruce Beattie said, "We cannot pass bylaw retroactively, therefore,
given this proposal met all our land use bylaw requirements we cannot
now change the rules. We do not have the power to prohibit the
operations."

Beattie said the county will "continue to communicate with all
relevant departments in the federal government regarding our citizens'
concerns. I hope you and all the affected residents will do the same.
The changes to the (county's) land use bylaw will be put in place
before any further development permits for such an operation will be
accepted."

Construction on the new greenhouse was underway last week, said
McKean.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D