About 17,000 pounds of medical marijuana could be grown and processed annually in an industrial warehouse in Port Coquitlam.
This week, the city's smart growth committee unanimously voted to forward a rezoning bid to council for consideration.
If approved, the proposal by Remedi Pharmaceuticals would allow the business to share part of the Iotron building at 1425 Kebet Way, located off the Mary Hill bypass in the Meridian Industrial Park. Up to 20 full-time staff would grow, dry, cure, trim, test and package the medical pot on the premises, according to a city staff report, and research and development would be conducted.
All products would be couriered to registered patients and medical professionals, and no retail sales would be allowed, city staff said.
Iotron, which sterilizes medical equipment, among other things, has been at the site for 23 years and also provides consultation and services to the medical marijuana industry.
Under strict rules set by the city, Remedi would not be able to use more than 750 sq. m of Iotron's facility and a covenant would be placed on the building's title to limit the odours and emissions from the marijuana production.
No one from Remedi was available for comment by The Tri-City News' print deadline Thursday but in a statement to the city, company representative Raj Mattu said the product would be "high-quality, safe cannabis for medical purposes" and vowed the business "plans to become a long-term, responsible, caring member of the community of Port Coquitlam."
Coun. Glenn Pollock, chair of the city's smart growth committee, also stressed the operation, if approved by council, would be fully secured and is far from residential areas.
"We would rather have this in an industrial section than in someone's house," he said.
Pollock said medical marijuana is needed by many sick people "so we need to allow them to have access to it, to some degree," he said.
PoCo Fire Chief Nick Delmonico said his department would inspect the site every six months, if the rezoning goes ahead.
Coquitlam permits medical marijuana facilities at seven industrial properties while Port Moody council on Tuesday adopted a zoning bylaw amendment that makes medicinal marijuana production a prohibited land use.
@jwarrenTC
