A large-scale cannabis greenhouse in East Ladner is about to expand further.
A wholly-owned subsidiary of Village Farms International, Pure Sunfarms already has 1.1 million square feet in its greenhouse operation, having the capacity to produce 75,000 kilograms of dried flower annually for the Canadian recreational market.
Pure Sunfarms has also been planning to convert a second 1.1 million square foot adjacent greenhouse for production, which is expected to double the annual output capacity to 150,000 kilograms.
Village Farms last week announced Pure Sunfarms has received from Health Canada an amendment to the cultivation license for its second greenhouse facility, permitting it to cultivate cannabis immediately in the half of the facility where conversion to cannabis production has been completed.
Under the license amendment, Pure Sunfarms is also permitted to begin cannabis production in the remaining half of that facility when conversion has been fully completed.
Pure Sunfarms expects to begin planting in the completed half of the facility this September, with the first harvest expected in November.
The cannabis producer also expects to further increase its cultivation capacity to 2.2 million square feet during the second half of 2022 upon completion of the conversion of the remaining half of the second facility.
"As many licensed producers in Canada scale back operations, we are proud and excited to be significantly expanding production to meet the expected continued growth in Pure Sunfarms' retail branded sales, driven by Pure Sunfarms' leading brand market share in dried flower against the backdrop of the overall growth in the Canadian market, as well as additional opportunities that we are pursuing both within Canada and in international markets," said Michael DeGiglio, CEO of Village Farms, in a news release.
Current supply agreements in place include the Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation, the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis, the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority and the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries Corporation.
The operation also provides cannabis to other licensed producers in Canada.
