The Creemore
Echo
Friday, January 23, 2015 Vol. 15 No. 04 thecreemoreecho.com News and views in and around Creemore
Inside the Echo
In the zone
Skier takes on worlds
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PAGE 6
Development plans for Cashtown
Trailblazer makes Team Ontario
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Marijuana producer partners with licensed grower by Kara McIntosh Medical marijuana production is now in full swing at Mettrum Health Corp’s Agripharm facility at Cashtown Corners. Peter Miller of Agripharm submitted a licence to grow medical marijuana to Health Canada in early 2013. That winter, he met Michael Haines of Mettrum Ltd. in Bowmanville who was already a licensed producer under the Marijuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR). In June, they joined forces and a new parent company, Mettrum Health Corp, ultimately acquired Agripharm Corp in its entirety. Mettrum Health Corp is now listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Miller said Agripharm remains Creemore-based and continues to run with the same management and staff. “Since our inception, we have focused on being positive members of the community and we hope to continue supporting the local economy for the long term,” he said. On Dec. 11, Health Canada issued the medical marijuana licence to Agripharm Corp and according to Miller, “we immediately brought in the starting materials. Due to the strength and experience of the
Staff photo: Trina Berlo
The medical marijuana growing facility at Cashtown Corners is up and running. Mettrum team in Bowmanville, we were able to hit the ground running.” The 15,000-square-foot facility sits on 80 acres of land and is currently licensed for an estimated capacity of 9,000 marijuana plants over the next six months. It was built using state-of-the-art modular construction techniques that will allow for rapid expansion as required.
“Our production output will be determined by demand. The great thing about being where we are is that we have plenty of room to grow and we have access to many talented people to help us do it,” said Miller. At present, the Agripharm facility will focus on growing, the most energy and labour intensive aspects of the supply chain. Mature plants will
then be transferred to the Mettrum facility in Bowmanville, where they will be processed into dried marijuana, quality assured and sold. Miller said Agripharm started with a workforce of about one dozen full- and part-time employees and the company will be hiring in the coming weeks and months to meet market demand.
Ontario energy board sides with wpd to allow distribution lines by Trina Berlo The Ontario Energy Board has ordered the Township of Clearview to allow wpd Fairview Wind to proceed with planning for a distribution system on Fairgrounds Road. To deliver energy generated by its wind turbines, wpd is looking to install underground collector lines and an overhead line on township owned property. “Fairview Wind submits that it has attempted but not been able to engage in discussions with the township in order to reach an agreement with respect to the location of some of the distribution system, namely two
kilometres of underground collector line to be located under Fairgrounds Road,” states the Ontario Energy Board decision made Jan. 15 in response to an application filed by wpd in July for orders to establish the location of the collector line. Both wpd and the township made submissions to the board. “Board staff submitted that the applicant appears to have made several attempts to engage the township in order to complete a road use agreement with respect to locating its distribution system on the road allowance on Fairgrounds Road,” states the findings. The board determined the township
continually refused to meet with wpd on the basis that it was premature due to an ongoing approval process relating to the environmental registry of the project. The board maintains that it is most efficient if the environmental review process and the distribution system approval process take place concurrently. The board notes in order to proceed with construction of the distribution facilities, Fairview Winds will need to obtain all legally required permits and other approvals. The township hired legal representation for the hearing. “It is staff ’s opinion that this
request for a hearing is a further demonstration of the proponent’s disregard for the position and concerns of the municipality. The proponent has provided incomplete and inaccurate information to the municipality and has not been required by the MOE to correct such information. The proponent is seeking a formal determination regarding the utilization of township infrastructure prior to it receiving approvals under the environmental review process. It is staff’s opinion that this hearing request is premature at best,” reported Director of Community Planning and Development Michael Wynia to Clearview council on Sept. 8.
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