Ron Strider
Well-Known Member
Ottawa's drive to legalize recreational marijuana by July 2018 has sparked debate nationally. Now, West Islanders are keeping an eye on local developments.
Last Friday, Canadian medical marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis officially opened its 40,000 square foot Aurora Vie production facility on Hymus Blvd. near Alston Ave. in Pointe-Claire. It's located in a nondescript warehouse-style building that lies along an industrial zone between Hymus and the Highway 40 service road. On the south side of the Hymus-Alston intersection, there are new townhouses already built on the side street while a high-density residential project is slated for a vacated former industrial property.
It should be noted that Aurora's facility is being used to grow government-approved medical cannabis, but they are also hoping to grow marijuana for recreational use.
But Aurora Vie will not be a retail outlet, so the public won't be lining up outside to buy pot at this location.
Considering the fact Aurora is producing marijuana plants for medical use, the lab-quality production facility fits in with the West Island's longstanding pharmaceutical landscape, which includes industry giants Merck Frosst and Pfizer facilities along Highway 40 in neighboring Kirkland as well as Novartis in Dorval. These companies are also drug makers, right?
The federal government spearheaded the legalization process and earlier this month Quebec tabled its own bill for the legalization of recreational marijuana which would permit anyone over 18 to be able to purchase, possess and use cannabis in our province. Quebec's plan is to sell pot through a website and at an initial 15 pot stores, to be managed by the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQC), an arm of the Société des alcools du Québec, which runs the SAQ liquor stores.
Last week, a resident demanded Beaconsfield city council prohibit legal pot shops from operating in the bedroom municipality. Cities use zoning rules to control or limit where or what kind of businesses can set up shop within its boundaries, but if Beaconsfield found a spot for an SAQ store, it should be OK with a SQC outlet potentially opening one day. Not everyone drinks alcohol or wants to use marijuana, but once Ottawa and Quebec legalize the latter, municipalities will have to respect those decisions.
Quebec's bill – still to be finalized – will set a minimal distance between pot stores and places frequented by minors or "vulnerable clientele."
Will any of the 15 Quebec pot shops be located in the West Island or Off-Island? Could one be located in a strip mall, next to a pharmacy or a Montreal police station, adjacent to an existing SAQ or perhaps in an industrial sector along Highway 40?
If the West Island does become home to a SQC store, where do West Island Gazette readers suggest it be located?
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Aurora’s medical marijuana plant fits into West Island’s pharmaceutical tradition | Montreal Gazette
Author: Albert Kramberger
Contact: Contact | Montreal Gazette
Photo Credit: Pierre Obendrauf
Website: Montreal Latest News, Breaking Headlines & Sports | Montreal Gazette
Last Friday, Canadian medical marijuana producer Aurora Cannabis officially opened its 40,000 square foot Aurora Vie production facility on Hymus Blvd. near Alston Ave. in Pointe-Claire. It's located in a nondescript warehouse-style building that lies along an industrial zone between Hymus and the Highway 40 service road. On the south side of the Hymus-Alston intersection, there are new townhouses already built on the side street while a high-density residential project is slated for a vacated former industrial property.
It should be noted that Aurora's facility is being used to grow government-approved medical cannabis, but they are also hoping to grow marijuana for recreational use.
But Aurora Vie will not be a retail outlet, so the public won't be lining up outside to buy pot at this location.
Considering the fact Aurora is producing marijuana plants for medical use, the lab-quality production facility fits in with the West Island's longstanding pharmaceutical landscape, which includes industry giants Merck Frosst and Pfizer facilities along Highway 40 in neighboring Kirkland as well as Novartis in Dorval. These companies are also drug makers, right?
The federal government spearheaded the legalization process and earlier this month Quebec tabled its own bill for the legalization of recreational marijuana which would permit anyone over 18 to be able to purchase, possess and use cannabis in our province. Quebec's plan is to sell pot through a website and at an initial 15 pot stores, to be managed by the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQC), an arm of the Société des alcools du Québec, which runs the SAQ liquor stores.
Last week, a resident demanded Beaconsfield city council prohibit legal pot shops from operating in the bedroom municipality. Cities use zoning rules to control or limit where or what kind of businesses can set up shop within its boundaries, but if Beaconsfield found a spot for an SAQ store, it should be OK with a SQC outlet potentially opening one day. Not everyone drinks alcohol or wants to use marijuana, but once Ottawa and Quebec legalize the latter, municipalities will have to respect those decisions.
Quebec's bill – still to be finalized – will set a minimal distance between pot stores and places frequented by minors or "vulnerable clientele."
Will any of the 15 Quebec pot shops be located in the West Island or Off-Island? Could one be located in a strip mall, next to a pharmacy or a Montreal police station, adjacent to an existing SAQ or perhaps in an industrial sector along Highway 40?
If the West Island does become home to a SQC store, where do West Island Gazette readers suggest it be located?
News Moderator: Ron Strider 420 MAGAZINE ®
Full Article: Aurora’s medical marijuana plant fits into West Island’s pharmaceutical tradition | Montreal Gazette
Author: Albert Kramberger
Contact: Contact | Montreal Gazette
Photo Credit: Pierre Obendrauf
Website: Montreal Latest News, Breaking Headlines & Sports | Montreal Gazette