Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills Wildrose MLA Nathan Cooper says he will be watching Aurora Cannabis's expansion of its Cremona-area marijuana production facility to ensure that resident concerns are considered and addressed going forward.
In a Gazette interview, Cooper said some residents have already raised concerns about potential increases in truck traffic coming to and leaving the facility, as well as the potential impact the expanded facility could have on the area's aquifer.
“I think that there are some legitimate concerns around traffic, some legitimate concerns around wear and tear on the roads out there,” said Cooper. “And some legitimate concerns around water usage.
“Certainly there is a strong economic case for job creation and some very legitimate concerns that community members have, so it's always an act of balancing some of the risks and rewards.
“So I wouldn't say that it's good or bad, it just has its risks and has its rewards around the economics of it and so we will continue to watch that proceed.”
Mountain View County recently approved a land use bylaw redesignation that would allow the Aurora facility, located west of Highway 22 north of Cremona, to expand from the existing 55,000 square feet to more than 600,000 square feet.
The company says the expansion would bring total employment at the site to about 200 from its current 75.
Cooper is calling on Mountain View County and the company to work together to ensure community voices continue to be heard.
“Aurora and the county have their end of the bargain to keep up and make sure that they are managing those issues, and doing their best to mitigate some of those concerns and ensure that residents and ratepayers and constituents are being heard,” he said.
“I know that Aurora Cannabis has created a number of jobs in the Water Valley-Cremona area and their expansion will likely do that but you know, that's not to say that it doesn't come without its controversy.”
The plant expansion has not yet received development permit approval from the county.
