Proposed medical marijuana facility could be first of many in Windsor

by Justin Prince

Windsorites could soon have access to medical marijuana without leaving the city after a start-up company showed interest in opening a new facility.

A notice of intent was filed by Medical Marihuana Patient Relief to open a new grow-op facility on Anchor Drive Feb. 10. It was brought to council after the Planning and Economic Standing Committee wanted clarification on Health Canada’s new Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations and how it would affect the city. The new regulations will be going into effect April 1. The new policies will be replacing the Marihuana Medical Access Program, which has been granting access to medical marijuana to Canadians since 2001. If the facility opens, it would be the first of its kind in Windsor.

“The reports came forward not because of any applications, but because we’ve been having some inquires on process,” said Ward 8 Coun. and committee chair Bill Marra. “This is a very proactive move to get the information into the community and to let potential operators know exactly what’s required.”

The documents presented to the committee state that a medical marijuana facility can open in any building or on any property in Windsor currently zoned as industrial land. Any company that shows interest in running a grow-op will have to notify the Windsor Building Department as well as the Windsor Police Service and Windsor Fire and Rescue Services. Anyone who becomes a licensed producer through Health Canada is allowed to possess, produce and distribute marijuana on the property. According to the report, the company would have to apply to the City of Windsor to amend any zoning by-laws in order to locate outside of an industrial zone.

“Just because you get a Health Canada license doesn’t automatically mean you can operate in a municipality,” said Marra. “You have to follow the planning and building requirements.”

According to Health Canada’s website, the use of medical marijuana is on the rise across Canada. In January 2012, there were more than 13,000 people who had access to dried marijuana and less than 2,000 designated person producers. By the end of 2012, those numbers increased to more than 28,000 people with access and approximately 3,400 producers. Other facilities have already been proposed in Lakeshore, Oldcastle and Tecumseh.

“I think there’s a lot of potential for investment,” said Ward 7 Coun. Irek Kusmierczyk. “You see that potential not only in Canada, you see it in the United States as well too. The city is anticipating and preparing to receive those applications here and we have already seen that one application has been submitted. So I think that’s going to be the first of potentially many.”

According to Marra, the reports were brought forward only for clarification purposes and not to approve any items in relation to it. Nothing was approved during the meeting.

A request for an interview with Medical Marihuana Patient Relief was not answered before press time.