107th Year - Week 18
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
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Money raised to date:
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$6,000: - Anonymous
$5,000: - Bandstra Transportation
$4,000: - Anonymous
$3,000: - All-West Glass
$2,500: - Timber Peak Construction
St. Joseph’s School held their annual Spring Carnival on Friday night. There were games and food for parents and kids who came out to the event. Nolan Kelly photo
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$1,000: - Shirley Wright - Reiko & Alex Bussman - Dale & Justina Glass - In memory of J. Lapadat
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Nursery signs lease to grow medical pot By Ryan Jensen Telkwa/Interior News
Woodmere Nursery just outside of Telkwa could become the site of a medical marijuana growing operation that produces up to 7,000 kilograms of B.C. bud annually. In an agreement announced last week, Woodmere Nursery owner Joe Wong signed on to lease 80,000 square feet of greenhouse space and allow Maple Leaf Green World access to their equipment and laboratory for the
purpose of growing medicinal marijuana. The term of the lease is three years and Maple Leaf has an option to buy the entire seven-acre operation. Because Woodmere Nursery is in the Agricultural Land Reserve, growing medical marijuana is allowed, said Regional District of Bulkley-Nechako director of planning Jason Llewellyn. “If they’re in the ALR, then they are allowed to [grow medical marijuana], regardless of zoning,” Llewellyn said.
“The Agricultural Land Commission has determined that the growing of medical marijuana is an agricultural use, therefore it’s protected by the agricultural land reserve regulations. It’s a permitted use, regardless of zoning.” RDBN Area A director Stoney Stoltenberg said the announcement caught him off guard but any security concerns he has are alleviated because of the track record of Woodmere Nursery owner. “There will be security concerns,
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but they’ll deal with them,” he said. “I don’t foresee a lot of problems. Knowing Joe Wong, he’ll put whatever he has to put in place to make it a secure operation.” The facility will employ local people, which is always a good thing. “As long as it’s legal and licensed, it’s going to employ some people to do the work,” Stoltenberg said. “God knows, in this day and age we need all the employment we can get.” The lease is subject to Maple
Leaf Green World receiving the proper licenses from Health Canada to grow medical marijuana, the company said in a press release, and if they obtain the necessary licenses, there is no guarantee they will be able to secure the required financing to start production. Maple Leaf Green World president Raymond Lai said the company hopes to have all their approvals in place and begin growing by September. While they operate greenhouses in other
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locations, this is their first attempt at growing medical marijuana Earlier this month, Ktown Medical Growers held a town hall meeting in Topley, discussing their proposal to begin growing medical marijuana at the former school there. That group is also awaiting licensing from Health Canada and need the property to be rezoned before they can move ahead. Calls to Joe Wong and Woodmere Nursery were not returned.
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