AMMCan holds ribbon-cutting to officially open medical marijuana facility at Bruce Energy Centre

Local politicians joined officials at Advanced Medical Marijuana Canada (AMMCan), a subsidiary of Supreme Pharmaceuticals, Tuesday afternoon, to cut the ribbon and officially open the greenhouses at the Bruce Energy Centre, in the Municipality of Kincardine.

 

The facility has been licensed by Health Canada to grow medical marijuana, and workers are ready to get down to business.

 

John Fowler, chief executive officer of Supreme Pharmaceuticals, welcomed about 100 people to the open house and urged them to tour the place.

 

“It's so important to have the community support for what we're doing here,” he said. “It's huge, it's so integral, especially in the medical marijuana business. I'm from Toronto and coming to a small town, there's no better place to do business.”

 

He said planting time would begin Wednesday (March 30), with the best product grown from seeds in their own nursery, and the first crop harvested in about 12 weeks. That product then goes to Health Canada for inspection before a licence to sell can be issued.

 

“We expect by the third or fourth quarter of this year, we will have a licence for the sale of our product,” said Fowler.

 

He said AMMCan is starting small with about an acre-and-a-half in production. However, within three to five years, he expects the seven-acre facility to be producing 40,000 kilograms of medical marijuana per year, and have about 150 employees.

 

Huron-Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson said this is a great day for Kincardine, for the company and for the employees.

 

“It's wonderful to see the greenhouses re-purposed with this company's commitment and vision,” she said. “We'd like to work with John (Fowler) and see more businesses move out of the Greater Toronto Area and come to Bruce County.”

 

She said AMMCan is a state-of-the-art facility, with innovative ideas for sustainability, such as reclaiming rain water and composting the residual parts of the plants.

 

Kincardine mayor Anne Eadie said the greenhouses are first-rate and she is impressed with the company's attention to detail.

 

“The Bruce Energy Centre is a great location,” she said. “It's far enough from residential areas, but close to Highway 21.”

 

Huron-Bruce MP Ben Lobb congratulated Fowler, AMMCan chief executive officer Peter Herburger and all their staff for the patience to see the lengthy approval process completed.

 

“Considering their application went through a change in the federal government, the health minister and the ministry staff, it's pretty phenomenal that it was finally approved,” he said.

 

Lobb said the more education there is about the benefits of medical marijuana, the better the public's acceptance of the product and its manufacture at the Bruce Energy Centre location.

 

“This product can help relieve symptoms for children suffering from seizures,” he said. “There are studies being done about the benefits it has to treat such diseases as Multiple Sclerosis. The current treatment is for people to be prescribed opiates which are addictive and have serious side effects. Providing medical marijuana gives people with other options.”

 

During a tour of the facility, Matt Rogge, production and processing director, pointed out how the security works for employees to enter various sections. He then indicated the fertilization rooms, the nursery and the growing rooms.

 

The seeds are planted and then about six weeks later, cuttings are taken and allowed to root. Two weeks later, they are planted in pots of coco-coir and put in the Grow Room. The coco-coir is a medium made from coconut husks.

 

Rogge said the nursery can provide enough cuttings to fill 1,400 containers in Grow Room 1 and 5,500 containers in Grow Room 2.

 

Once the product is ready, the plants are harvested with a bypass cutter at soil height and put in the Drying Room for two weeks. The first crop will go to Health Canada to ensure it meets regulatory guidelines and then a sell licence can be issued.

 

Rogge said the facility is currently at the initial phase with 16,500 square feet of space ready to grow medical marijuana. The next phase will add another 75,000 square feet.