First medical marijuana grow applicants hold open house in Tofield

The first applicants who want to build a medical marijuana grow and processing facility in Beaver County held an open house at the Tofield Arena meeting room on March 25.

The meeting was attended mostly by neighbours who live in the rural area where the facility would be located. Riley McGee and Larry Bortles gave a presentation of the plans for the facility, which they said would be a Canada Health licensed facility for growing medical marijuana.

The two entrepreneurs are able to apply for this facility based on laws enacted on June 7, 2013 that establish regulations for allowing the growth of marijuana for medical purposes.

The regulations will be enforced through the federal Minister of Health, and outline the building and security requirements needed for such a facility.

The application was made to Beaver County to allow this operation as a discretionary use within the parameters of intensive agriculture. McGee compared it to a greenhouse operation as it fits within the county’s land use bylaw… for more see the Mar. 31/15 Mercury