By Brittney Matejka

Could marijuana be grown in Medicine Hat greenhouses?

Feb 2, 2018 | 4:40 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB. – Marijuana is approaching legalization later this year in Canada and the question of where legal cannabis going to be grown has been asked.

There are some greenhouses in Ontario and British Columbia uprooting traditional crops in order to cash in on growing cannabis.

Medicine Hat and Redcliff produce approximately 70 % of Alberta’s Greenhouse vegetables but there isn’t a producer in the area ready to grow marijuana just yet.

Local greenhouse owner Albert Kramer doesn’t think Rolling Acres Greenhouse will change from growing vegetables just yet.

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“I know the rules are changing all the time (for) marijuana,” he said. “When we originally looked into possibly getting a license there was all kinds of restrictions, and now they are backing off because if it becomes legal, it will be a different product.”

Kramer said he understands why some producers could be tempted to change over to marijuana production based on predicted profits.

“Everybody is speculating very high (profits) right now,” he said. “We hear about Ontario, B.C. and Alberta, I can’t see where it is going to stay that high but who knows.”

Greenhouses in the area would need some changes if a grower did decide to change over to the cash crop, Kramer explained.

“They would have to put a lot of lighting in to do that, marijuana has to have lots of artificial light,” he said.

Kramer said the biggest challenge for greenhouse operators is accessing a grower’s license for marijuana as all levels of governments do not have set rules in place leading up to legalization later this year.

The closest greenhouse grower who intends to produce marijuana upon legalization will be located in Lethbridge.