By Tom Mark

Update: Ground Breaking For True Leaf

Mar 2, 2018 | 3:18 PM

Photo: (L-R) Shawna Whitney, Council, OKIB; Kevin Acton, Mayor, Lumby; Darcy Bomford, True Leaf CEO; Mike Harcourt, True Leaf Chair; Josh Kehler, President, SBL, and Edna Felix, Council, Splatsin Indian Band take part a ground break ceremony at the Lumby Industrial Park (True Leaf photo)

It’s a big day today for Lumby and True Leaf Medicine International.

The company has broken ground on the first phase of its medicinal cannabis grow facility in the Lumby industrial park.

True Leaf CEO Darcy Bomford says this first phase is a 25 thousand square foot complex.

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“The way the facility is formatted, it’s like a big H, and in the centre is the hub that has the offices and the extraction and warehouse and then the grow wing. The first grow wing we’re building is 16 thousand square feet.”

Three additional wings will be added later for a total of 64 thousand square feet for growing.

The central hub, which is part of the first phase, is nine thousand square feet over two floors.

The construction should be done by the summer so they can start growing.

“We’re estimating 2,500 kilos per grow wing, so per 16 thousand square feet. There’s about 12 rooms in there. Each room is just a little under a thousand square feet.”

The project is expected to employ about 150 workers during construction and create 35 full and part-time jobs at the start of operations.

The plant will need a Health Canada Inspection before the growing can begin.

“You have to grow three lots of product and then eventually go into a license to sell, and of course you have to approve out all your q- a and make sure your security is in place and essentially that you know how to grow product that is safe and high quality:”

Bomford says they have a focused marketing plan.

“We’re marketing the product primarily through naturopathic doctors and health care practitioners. As part of our production we’ll probably slot for wholesale sales. Possibly to other LP’s.”

He’s not ruling out setting up an agreement with a pharmacy chain similar to one announced this week between Shopper’s Drug Mart and eastern Canadian producer Aurora.

The company recently raised 14 million dollars through financing in Canada and the U-S, four million more than it’s goal.

A ground breaking ceremony featuring Bomford, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of True Leaf, and Chair, former B.C. premier Mike Harcourt, along with Lumby Mayor Kevin Acton and others was held at noon at 1837 Shuswap Avenue.

“Today is just the beginning. With 40 acres of land, we have positioned True Leaf for growth and to potentially become one of the largest medicinal cannabis facilities in British Columbia,” said Bomford. “We are proud to make this investment today in Lumby, a community that has embraced True Leaf since the beginning.”

by Tom Mark