Pubdate: Fri, 07 Mar 2014
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Cheryl Chan

ALL ABUZZ OVER PLAN FOR POT PLANT

Grow-op proposal at site of former school 'only thing town is talking
about'

Some residents of the small northern B.C. town of Topley are up in
arms over a proposed licensed medical marijuana grow operation at the
site of a former elementary school.

K Town Medical Growers is poised to buy the shuttered
1,500-square-foot school on the Yellowhead Highway, and transform it
into a commercial marijuana production facility that its owner hopes
will produce up to 8,000 kilograms of medicinal pot per year and
provide jobs for as many as 150 people in the region.

News that the old school might be turned into a pot production
facility has ignited strong opinions among the few hundred residents
of Topley.

"It's a big-time subject. It's the only thing the town is talking
about lately," said resident Wendy Townsend, who is organizing a
public meeting at the community hall on March 17.

Townsend, who is adopting a neutral stance, said she's heard from many
people who are against the project.

Some are worried about odors and the potential for crime. Many still
hold the school in affection, even though it's been standing empty
since 2010.

"They're emotionally attached to the school," said Townsend. "It's
been the centre of our community. There's still kids that play in the
schoolyard."

However, others may also welcome the economic boom the facility could
bring to the region, which is dominated by the forestry and mining
industries in Burns Lake and Houston, said Townsend.

Many residents have questions they need answered before they can make
up their minds, she added. "A lot of residents have no understanding
whatsoever of marijuana except for what they read and see in the news."

K Town's owner, Alexander Mark Roberts, already operates a small
licensed medical marijuana facility in town, but wants to expand.

He said the plant will create 80 jobs to start, and at least 150 when
it's fully up and running. "We want to bring economic development," he
said.

The new facility is seeking a licence from Health Canada under the
federal government's Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR)
which come into effect April 1.

The MMPR will replace the current program, which allows authorized
medical marijuana users to cultivate their own plants or purchase it
from licensed neighbours. The current system has fostered massive
growth in cannabis cultivation in Canada and spawned "unanticipated
consequences" such as violence, home invasions, risk of mould-damaged
homes, and fire and electrical hazards, Health Canada has said in
court documents.

Under the new regime, buyers will purchase their medicinal pot from a
smaller number of regulated commercial-grade growers.

Currently, there are only nine licensed facilities across the country,
including three in B.C., but more are on the way. One facility in
Ontario is the site of a former Hershey chocolate factory.

To date, Health Canada has received 453 applications, with a third
coming from B.C. The government does not plan to cap the number of
licensed growers.

Roberts said he is aware of the opposition in Topley, but notes he has
also received positive feedback from some residents.

He said the one-storey building is ideally suited because it already
has the required infrastructure, such as security and fire suppression
systems.

Roberts said he'll pay $169,000 for the school and the property, which
costs the school district about $20,000 to $25,000 annually to
maintain. The deal is in its final stages.

But even the promise of jobs isn't enough to persuade Vivian Eftodie,
a 25-year resident who is adamantly against the project.

She said people in Topley have jobs, which means K Town will have to
bring in people from outside.

Setting up a grow-op inside a former school also sends kids mixed
messages, said Eftodie.

"We don't want it in the community. We don't care if it's medical or
whatever. There's got to be other places they can go."

But Roberts said he is in Topley to stay. He moved his family,
including four kids, from Kelowna to Topley last September and has
bought a house.

The company is in the process of putting together a rezoning
application for the regional district. Roberts said he expects to get
the permit from Health Canada while renovations are under way. His
goal is to be operational in four to six months.

Roberts said he understands some people might feel sentimental about
the school, but: "There's got to be time for change."
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