Federal government plans to legalize recreational adult marijuana means multi-millions in investments and hundreds of jobs for Saugeen Shores area residents according to John Fowler, founder and CEO of Supreme Pharmaceutical/7ACRES, a licensed medical marijuana cultivation operation in Tiverton. 

Fowler briefed Saugeen Shores councillors on the current growth spurt at his facility at the April 24 town committee of the whole meeting in Port Elgin.

Fowler was introduced by Port Elgin BIA (Business Improvement Area) chair Jeff Carver who announced 7ACRES as a title sponsor of this year's BIA Farm to Table dinner, with a $2,500 donation and a booth at the weekly Farmer's Market.

Fowler told councillors that as a teen he grew medical marijuana for a friend's mother and saw its benefits, but he "parted ways with the plant" as a teen, went to law school, and with four other investors created the company in 2014.

Fowler said 7ACRES was "blessed to locate in Bruce County - a strong, entrepreneurial…hard-working agricultural community," adding he's excited to give back to a community that welcomed the facility with open arms.

Some of that giving back includes a $50-$60-million investment, in addition to the $10 million already made, at the Tiverton plant by June next year, and an accelerated expansion plan in response to government plans to regulate the recreational cannabis industry by July 2018 to end black-market, dangerous underworld trafficking.

"We've also increased our efforts to interact with the community and make sure we're known as a solid member of the business community and community at large," Fowler said, adding they employ local trades and labour for the expansion and will hire locally, with the lowest-paid worker earning $17 an hour, with a "pretty decent" benefits package. He said the current staff of 50, which doubled last year, will increase to 130 by June 2018.

Coun. Cheryl Grace asked Fowler to elaborate about the security measures that impressed her during a 2015 tour of the facility, including the registration and tracking of each plant.

Fowler said Canada is the leader in supply chain regulations for medical marijuana, and his plant offers "impeccable traceability" and is more regulated than manufacturers of opioids. He said the law requires heavy security measures inside and outside the plant with hundreds of cameras all connected by computer.

Fowler said his appearance before Saugeen Shores politicians and staff and plant tours will help educate the public and reduce the stigma attached to marijuana. He said most Canadians know marijuana is being used and prohibition has not curbed demand as Canada uses more cannabis per capita than almost any other country in the world.

"At least this way if Canadians are going to use cannabis they can have supply chain regulated cannabis that is safe and laboratory-tested and produced in a facility where we have real jobs and pay our taxes," Fowler said.

7ACRES officials are ready for huge crowds at a May 6 job fair at the Port Elgin Plex - one in Kincardine two years ago drew an unexpected 600 people and swamped intake staff.

Fowler said they need to hire 16-20 grower and sanitation workers by the end of the month. Resumes will be collected at the job fair which runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and call-backs and interviews will be scheduled for May 7.