Medical marijuana production plant planned for N.B.

A meat plant that used to produce bacon could start making a product that makes people crave bacon.

The Maple Leafs Foods plant in North Battleford closed its doors in 2011 and has been vacant ever since. Now a group has come forward looking to turn it into a hemp and medical marijuana production plant.

At Monday night’s city council meeting in North Battleford, a zoning bylaw amendment was brought forward to allow the group to turn the location into such a plant.

According to Jennifer Niesink the city’s director of planning and development, the group already has a pending lease with a company which would grow the hemp and marijuana at the building on 99 Canola Ave. Niesink said it isn’t a for sure go ahead, as medical marijuana is federally regulated by Health Canada. Hemp on the other hand falls under regular agriculture standards, no different than growing canola.