Fifth Line residents have questions about cannabis facility

While not in complete opposition to plans by the local owners of 2707209 Ontario Inc. to open a micro cannabis cultivation facility at the site of the former Fifth Line Race Track, a group of area residents would like to have some questions answered.

“We’re going to hold an information meeting at The Water Tower Inn. I personally believe we have the right to know when things are coming to our neighbourhood,” said Linda Lewis, a Fifth Line East resident, speaking to SooToday.

Permits have been approved by the City of Sault Ste. Marie for 2707209 Ontario Inc. to build a micro cannabis cultivation facility and construction is underway at 339 Fifth Line East.

“It will be built…(but) we have concerns,” Lewis said.

“All my research thus far indicates that there are a number of factors with a facility of this type that will affect residents in the area, such as extremely bright light, odour, water use, effluent, additional traffic and potential decline in property values,” states a leaflet circulated by Lewis to area residents.

“I have been told by the owner that those (concerns) are all incorrect . . . so I’ve invited him to come, and he said he has pamphlets and information, so hopefully he attends, I’ve asked him to come and enlighten us,” Lewis said.

“We don’t know, we may walk away from that meeting reassured and have no concerns . . . a lot of people have told me ‘we’ve got to stop it,’ but they have every right to do what they’re doing as I was told (by City of Sault Ste. Marie officials), but we have the right to know, I think, when something like that goes into our neighbourhood. Education fixes a lot of problems,” Lewis said.

Lewis said she has invited Ward 3 and Ward 4 councillors to attend the information meeting.

It will take place 7 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 4 at the Water Tower Inn.