Pubdate: Wed, 12 Mar 2014
Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2014 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/5NyOACet
Website: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531
Author: Ron Seymour

W. KELOWNA LOCATION EYED FOR MARIJUANA GROWING

An industrial building in West Kelowna could become the site of a 
large-scale medicinal marijuana-growing business.

Owner Trent Kitsch asked Tuesday for West Kelowna council to endorse 
his plans to develop the property at 2322 Dominion Rd. for commercial 
pot-production under new Health Canada rules that take effect April 1.

As well as helping to meet the demands of Canadians licensed to use 
marijuana for medicinal purposes, Kitsch said the venture could have 
a significant economic impact locally with dozens of new jobs and 
taxation revenue.

"I think this is a perfect example (of) economic development," Kitsch 
told West Kelowna councillors. "It's often misconstrued as an illegal 
or shady business."

Council was holding a public hearing on where medicinal pot-growing 
ventures could be set up in the municipality. Aside from another man 
who said medicinal pot-producers should not be allowed in residential 
areas, Kitsch was the only person to address council at the public hearing.

Staff's proposal, following the lead of the B.C. cities, including 
Kelowna, was to restrict such businesses to an industrial zone, 
keeping them out of areas with residential or agricultural classifications.

After a brief discussion, council voted 6-1 in favour of the recommendation.

Coun. Rick De Jong dissented, saying medicinal grow-ops should also 
be allowed on agricultural land.

The Dominion Road property owned by Kitsch has previously been used 
for the growing of medicinal marijuana under Health Canada's current 
regulations, which expire on March 31.

Kitsch said the venture had a good working relationship with local 
authorities such as the municipality, West Kelowna Fire Rescue and the RCMP.

Given the track record, he said, it makes sense to take the operation 
to a larger-scale under the new commercial growers-only regime being 
introduced by Health Canada.

If the venture is licensed for medicinal marijuana production by the 
federal agency, Kitsch said he and the other building owners would 
make sure the structure complies with stringent standards relating to 
on-site security.

"If anybody tried to break into it, we'd know in about three 
seconds," Kitsch said after the meeting. "And the police would know 
three seconds after that."

The new Health Canada rules require the approximately 35,000 
Canadians with licences to use marijuana to obtain their supply only 
via the mail from one of the new large-scale commercial growers.

As of late-February, however, Health Canada had only approved only 
eight applications for commercial pot growers across the country, 
raising some concerns about whether supply will match demand.

The City of Kelowna will hold a public hearing next Tuesday to decide 
where such ventures will be allowed inside the municipality. 
Councillors have already given preliminary endorsement to a staff 
recommendation they be restricted to an industrial area.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom