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Medma one step closer to production

Medical Marijuana

Medma Cannabis Pharms Inc. is one step closer to becoming the first medical marijuana production facility in the District of Sechelt to operate under Health Canada’s new regulations.

Although not yet licensed by Health Canada, the company trucked 18 steel containers to its site on Sechelt Crescent in East Porpoise Bay on Monday.

The containers, measuring 40 feet in length, were brought in empty, but are intended to house the KM5000 hydroponic growing system designed by  Archer Adler Consulting Solutions and engineered by the AME Consulting Group, Yoram Adler said Wednesday.

“The KM5000 grow system will be fabricated inside the containers,” Adler said. “It’s a vertically stacked system and the first of its kind in Canada. It’s a Canadian first.”

Features include a professionally engineered air handling system and filters to ensure “the community has no smell,” as required by the District and Health Canada, he said.

“Our filtration system is extremely robust.”

 The 18-gage steel containers were chosen for fire safety, as they are not combustible. “There’s nothing in our system that’s combustible. Even the plant is in water, so the combustibility factor is extremely low.”

The containers will also provide added security, Adler said, noting the facility will have 200 cameras inside and outside the building.

Waste management, he said, will follow Health Canada secure destruction protocols.

Adler said he was aware that some residents have been trying to push the District to reverse the previous council’s position allowing medical marijuana production facilities under current zoning as a light industrial use.

“What possible risk is there?” he asked. “What possible side effect? Medma has spent over $800,000 in the community, buying land and hiring local contractors to do the work.”

Other lots have been bought up to build plants in the same industrial area, he said.

“Doesn’t it make sense to have something secure, discreet, with cameras, sensors, multi-layer security?”

Resident Marc Nixon, who has written letters to the District questioning the project, said his main concern was “a total lack of due process,” but added he believes there is a very good chance that Health Canada will deny the company a licence due to inadequate setbacks.

“With 116 residential condos within 60 metres, Medma in my opinion will never go into production,” Nixon said.

Adler disagreed.

“Health Canada looks at all kinds of factors when it comes to site appropriateness. We’re in an area where the zoning allows it.”

Adler said the plant, which could be operational within 120 days, will employ at least four full-time workers, while a planned second phase would see more jobs created. Medma COO Bal Uppal, a retired Mountie, and a quality assurance manager will relocate to the Coast to run the facility, which is 80 per cent automated, he said.