NELSON, B.C – A group of entrepreneurs are trying to open a weed growing facility inside Nelson city limits.
The business would run on a cooperative model where the newly formed Nelson Cannabis Collective provides the growing space and equipment as well as aid in the bureaucracy.
The group has placed a bid for a facillity at 45 Government Road.
The plan is to build a fully functioning growing space where weed can be grown in small batches under micro cultivation licenses that the collective will seek with Health Canada.
“Then the farmers can concentrate on what it is they do best”, says entrepreneur Phil Pinfold who is one of the six founding members.
He says they have also teamed up with health- and legal experts over the past few months to ensure full compliance.
Pinfold says their market research indicated that the barriers were too high for local cannabis farmers trying to enter the legal market.
“It seemed like there was some opportunity to create business and new jobs”, Pinfold says.
The group have heard numbers ranging around 2000 cannabis farmers in Nelson and the surrounding area.
At the last City Council meeting, a letter of support from the city was approved and issued to the group, stating that the city of Nelson supports the idea of commercial cannabis growing within the city limits.
Pinfold says the Nelson Cannabis Collective are hoping to see production start within the next 12 – 14 months.