Rural areas being won over by pot’s potential

Prospect of jobs And investment has residents setting Aside qualms

In the Village of Pennant, the air is rife with talk of marijuana.

That’s according to the owner of Pennant’s only hotel, Brenda Knutson, who called it the “buzz” of the village. On Sept. 6, Knutson was among 60 people who showed up at a town-hall meeting. It attracted lively debate over a proposal to sell the village’s dilapidated curling rink to a local man who wants to build a medical marijuana growing facility.

At the beginning, she heard some skeptical voices about the proposal. People were worried about crime, noise and — of course — smell.

But a vote at the end showed strong support.

“There were a few naysayers, but they went in there with that attitude,” said Knutson, who said she’s optimistic the plan will be good for the local economy.

“It will bring people in, and I mean employees. And then as hotel owners, hopefully there will be a spinoff for us as well.”

Rural areas and small towns are proving hospitable for cannabis and hemp producers in Saskatchewan, with several proposals at various stages throughout the province. Many are excited about the promise of jobs. But old attitudes about the plant are revealing a generation gap in some communities.

The Pennant project is small and still at a “concept stage,” according to the proponent, Jason Zeller. He said he first wants to make sure the town will sell him the curling rink, which offers the three-phase power he needs to set up an operation. Only then will he seek a licence from the federal government.

He said his proposal has been well received, though there have been a few “vocal” opponents.

“There’s still a bunch of the older crowd that have been brainwashed by the media and the government for the last 100 years, the stigma attached to it, that it’s just a bunch of dirty hippies trying to get high,” Zeller said.

Other proposals seem further advanced, including one in the RM of Sherwood that the Leader-Post has previously reported on. Another project is moving forward in the Rural Municipality of Antler, right next to the Town of Redvers in southeast Saskatchewan.

A company called Endless Sky is proposing a cannabidiol (CBD) extraction operation there. CBD is one of the active ingredients in marijuana, along with the better known THC that produces the plant’s high. Both remain illegal without a prescription until Oct. 17.

Many view CBD as a chemical that can help fight inflammation, anxiety and pain. Endless Sky is proposing to extract it from industrial hemp with low levels of THC. The company’s CEO said the surrounding communities have been a pleasure to work with.

“The people there have been outstanding to us,” said Travis George. “They’re pumped about this.”

The RM of Antler’s reeve is certainly excited. Ron Henderson said Endless Sky is proposing to invest tens of millions of dollars in the area. He foresees a future of hemp plants growing over vast tracks of land, perhaps expanding over several quarter sections.

“It could be a great thing for the community,” he said. “They need a lot of farmers to grow this stuff.”

Henderson said the RM changed its zoning bylaws to open the door for the project. But he said “nothing’s set in stone.” In a release shared over the RM’S Facebook page, Endless Sky said it has been working to raise funds. It told residents that the company plans to start production in autumn 2019.

George seemed confident it will happen.

“We’re definitely coming to Redvers,” he said.

This stuff, you will never get high on it. You can smoke a whole quarter section and you don’t have to worry about that.

George and Zeller have been wise to distance themselves from recreational marijuana. Hemp and medicine appear easier for rural residents to stomach.

Henderson said he wondered about the plants at first, but seemed won over by the idea that CBD can’t get you stoned.

“I know there’s quite a difference between this and marijuana oil,” he said. “This stuff, you will never get high on it. You can smoke a whole quarter section and you don’t have to worry about that.”

Knutson seemed pleased that the facility proposed for Pennant would be for medical purposes.

“It’s medical marijuana,” she said. “It’s not your recreational marijuana. To me, that makes the difference.

“It’s just to help people, not for people’s enjoyment.”