The province of Manitoba has sold assets on 300 acres of Crown property in the R.M. of Reynolds to a corporation with a vision to build the world’s largest indoor CBD-producing hemp operation.
The Pineland Forest Nursery land near Hadashville, which includes more than 300,000 square feet of greenhouse and research facilities, is being sold to Botanist Organic Growers Corp., which plans to start working toward its first crop immediately.
CBD, or cannabidiol, is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid that’s seen a fast rise in popularity and is used to treat a number of medical conditions, including epilepsy, anxiety, inflammation and insomnia. Unlike the other most well-known cannabinoid, THC, it does not produce a high. Hemp, the crop that will be grown at the new operation, contains only a trace amount of THC compared to other varieties of cannabis.
“The market for CBD is only beginning to grow,” said Duncan Gordon, chair and co-founder of Botanist Organic Growers. “By focusing on hemp CBD, rather than cannabis CBD, our company won’t face the same kind of restrictions that cannabis companies are facing in jurisdictions around the world.”
Gordon called Winnipeg his home and said the company plans to hire Manitobans. It forecasts hiring up to 200 people over the next three years and expects to add outdoor crops in the future.
The province put out a request for proposals after announcing the Pineland Forest Nursery was winding down operations in 2018. While the assets on the land are being sold, the province said land will continue to belong to the Crown and is being leased long-term.
