A cannabis plant is shown in southwest Quebec on Tuesday, Oct. 8, 2013. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang)
WINNIPEG — A former meat-packing plant in St. Boniface will be home to a new Canadian cannabis company by 2018.
GrowForce Holdings Inc. has chosen the site of an old Maple Leaf Foods plant on Warman Road to open its 120,000-square-foot facility on 13 acres of land.
“We looked at several cities before selecting Winnipeg. We were impressed by the entrepreneurial culture we found here alongside a large skilled workforce, strong universities and colleges as well as relatively low hydroelectricity rates,” said Rishi Gautam, GrowForce Holdings chairman and CEO.
The cannabis cultivation operation expects to employ 150 to 200 people by the time it’s fully functional.
GrowForce says it anticipates to be producing over 900 kg of cannabis per month through a management agreement with MJardin Group, North America’s largest legal cannabis operator.
Winnipeg will be home to GrowForce’s third facility in Canada once it opens. Facility renovations are now underway and will take about 18 months. The first crop is on track to be ready by fall 2018, with shipping to medical and retail purchasers in 2019.
Congratulations to @GrowForceCA on the announcement of a new 120,000-square-foot cannabis cultivation facility in #Winnipeg. At capacity, it will mean 200 new full-time jobs in Manitoba. pic.twitter.com/VUDK5UPn81
— YES! Winnipeg (@YesWinnipeg) May 15, 2018
