Proposed medical marijuana plant in Brighton

Stephen Barber, project manager for the Great Lakes Cannabis Corporation, presents Brighton city council with a medical marijuana facility plan at Monday night’s meeting.

By Olivia Timm

BELLEVILLE – Brighton city council told an entrepreneur it wants him to work closely with staff before it approves a medical marijuana facility he is proposing near Highway 30.

Stephen Barber is the project manager of the Great Lakes Cannabis Corporation and presented council with his plan for a medical marijuana facility at Monday night’s meeting. He says it is a project that will cost between $12 and $15 million dollars to build.

Barber says he plans on hiring as many local contractors for the construction as possible and the project could employ between 100 and 300 local residents during construction and working in the finished facility.

He says his team wants to be community aware and “good corporate citizens of the community” by using the local labour force as much as possible in this project.

“We believe that is a key element because it is good for the community that if we have people from around the area that are directly involved with our plant it makes them feel like part owners, it is an ownership,” Barber said. “They want to make sure everything is good and runs good, and that is only once we’re operating. Even before operation we will try to utilize as many contractors, sub-contractors and trades people as possible.”

Five years ago, Barber says no one could have convinced him to become involved in this type of project, but now that he has seen the medical marijuana industry grow in a positive way, he sees a future in the business.

Barber said he lost two close family members to different diseases and said his father is battling Parkinson’s disease. There is currently research being done across the world, and in Canada, to find a strain of medical marijuana to match them, according to Barber.

QNet News asked Brighton residents what they think about a medical marijuana facility coming to the area.

Rita Sweet says she had a battle with cancer and that medicinal marijuana does help people fight disease.

“I had cancer and I used it and it works. It works for people who have cancer that can’t eat. They take marijuana so they can eat,” she said.

Joyce Hubel is another resident who says she hopes the project moves forward.

“I have no objection to it. I think for those who require medical marijuana, it should be available and if it can be available locally so much the better,” she said. “It’s not going to turn all of our seniors into potheads or something, you know? It’s ridiculous, it’s fine, I hope they do build it.”

Another key aspect of a proposed medical marijuana plant is how it would create job opportunities for young people.

“I think anything that will promote some new jobs for the area for young people is a fantastic opportunity for people. I don’t see a whole lot of negative,” Cecil Mackesey said.

Brighton councillor Steven Baker thanked Barber for being open and transparent with council and the public.

“I have not satisfied in my own mind where I stand on this issue, but I do not want it within the urban boundaries and Mr. Barber’s facility is located in our rural areas, and if there is going to be any cultivation or anything of a natural product, I would rather see it in our rural areas than the urban.”

Barber says the potential growers for the facility would come from Vancouver, BC.

He also says the chair of GLCC’s advisory board would be Gilbert Sharpe, former director of the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

As for next steps for the medical marijuana plant, Brighton mayor Mark Walas told Barber to meet with staff to develop a site plan for approval. Until then council will wait before it moves forward with the facility.

Marijuana explainer from QNet News on Vimeo.