As medicinal marijuana grows to a billion dollar industry in Canada, producers are tapping Simcoe County for our knowledge in farming and agriculture. We’re home to two Health Canada licensed producers — in Creemore and Stayner — and at least three more companies plan to set up within our borders. They are: Enderlein Nurseries in Lisle, MedReleaf Corp. in Bradford West Gwillimbury, and Georgian Bay Bio Med in Collingwood.

“We consider what we do to be high-value agriculture. So we’re looking for people who come from an agricultural background,” said Jeff Jacobson, vice-president of business development with The Peace Naturals Project in Stayner. 

“Simcoe County is historically a very agriculture-driven region, so it made sense from a labour-pool perspective. I think others will see that benefit as well,” he added.

Peter Miller launched Creemore’s Agripharm Corp. in mid-2013. His uncle is John Miller of Miller’s Dairy, itself a leader in the milk production industry. The company sold to Mettrum Ltd., which also owns a facility in Bowmanville.

“We can pull people with very, very unique skills and allow them to adopt that skill set within medical cannabis." - George Scorsis, president of Mettrum Ltd.

George Scorsis, president of Mettrum Ltd., said Creemore has been very supportive and the company has been able to utilize skill sets ingrained in the community.

“We can pull people with very, very unique skills and allow them to adopt that skill set within medical cannabis,” he said.

Both The Peace Naturals Project and Agripharm Corp. are located on farmland, which they will use to continually expand. Located on 100 acres, The Peace Naturals Project is looking into geothermal and solar projects.

“There’s a lot more advantage to being up there,” Jacobson said.

And being located outside the Greater Toronto Area has financial perks.

“If you do your cultivation in a city centre your (security and utility) costs can go through the roof,” Jacobson said.

Enderlein Nurseries in Lisle plans to open in 2018 and hit the recreational marijuana market. 

“We’re going to hope for the legalization. That’s going to be a big opportunity,” said owner, Andy Enderlein.

Enderlein uprooted his longtime rose business to grow marijuana. 

“The profits were shrinking (for roses) and in 2013 we applied for the medical marijuana,” Enderlein said.

Enderlein Nurseries passed the first phase of Health Canada approvals and will begin construction of a 50,000-square-foot greenhouse this spring.

MedReleaf Corp. in Markham is expanding its cannabis production into Bradford West Gwillimbury because of its proximity to the GTA. 

“It’s the largest concentration of the population, so proximity to that in terms of getting the products to our patients in a timely way is always important to us,” said Darren Karasiuk, VP of strategy with MedReleaf Corp. 

The building is under renovation and they expect to open by late spring.

Georgian Bay Bio Med received approvals for a 120,000-square-foot facility in Collingwood. They hope to open this year.   

In 2014, a company called AlternaMedz Canada Inc. expressed interest in growing marijuana in the Cookstown area of Innisfil. Town spokesperson Johnny Keogh said after the initial meeting, no further communication occurred. 

And in 2015, Barrie council discussed potential locations for a medicinal marijuana plant.