Pubdate: Thu, 13 Feb 2014
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2014 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.winnipegsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: Svjetlana Mlinarevic

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE GOING TO POT

City Plans To Open First Medical Marijuana Facility In
Manitoba

PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE - A green light has been given for a medical
marijuana facility to open in Portage la Prairie.

Medical Manitoba Green Inc. received conditional use approval for
their facility, which will be located in an old sewing factory.

"Think what you might about marijuana and the use of it, this is a
legislated thing and we're going to go ahead with it," said Portage
Mayor Earl Porter. "This is the first one in the province and it might
be the only one. This is an opportunity that's gonna come knocking
once, so we're going to grab it."

Should Medical Manitoba Green Inc. get Health Canada's approval, the
1,600 square-foot facility would be one of seven authorized licensed
producers in the country and the first in the province. The company
expects to hire 10 employees from Portage, but that number might grow
to 30 after a few years. For now, the company has been given a
provisional licence by the feds.

"They've given us the go ahead to proceed and get the renovations done
and build and then there will be a final physical approval," he said.

The building will house 15 to 20 strains of marijuana, which have been
taken from licenced growers across the country. In order to ensure the
plants are protected, the facility will have a number of security
measures in place.

Some of the security measures the company might have to take include
annual drug tests for employees, secure pass code doors, video
surveillance, procedures for entry and exit, and audits of inventory.

Medical Manitoba Green Inc. can also expect at least four inspections
a year by Health Canada employees.  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D