Municipal officials in Chatham-Kent are looking to cash in on regulated medicinal marijuana.
“What we're trying to do is like everything else and be proactive," says Chatham-Kent mayor Randy Hope.
Hoping to cash in on a crop that's not quite regulated, Hope says interest is growing in hosting government approved medicinal marijuana growing facilities.
“Just seems like there is a lot of endless work that at the end of the day that doesn't help mitigate or reduce the amount of drugs on the street," he says.
In fact, Hope says he has been in touch with an entrepreneur wanting to set up shop.
For that reason, police and municipal officials are meeting to properly regulate any new medicinal grow op facilities.
“This will be an indoor facility, says Hope. “Highly secure. They require 24/7 video camera surveillance, to which it should be.”
In April 2014, Canadian medicinal marijuana regulations are set to change.
Hope says empty industrial properties across the municipality could facilitate such a venture.
“Whether it be in Ridgetown or Thamesville or even in Bothwelll, we have smaller communities that have the ability," says Hope.
He says this is simply a proactive approach, to play host to a productive business.
“It's a business just like producing vitamins or aspirins or pain killers or anything else," says Hope.
