People who live in the community of Masson-Angers in eastern Gatineau, Que., are raising a stink about the emissions coming from a massive cannabis production plant.<\/p>\n
Hexo\u00a0operates a 1.3 million-square-foot facility\u00a0that produces almost a third of all the legal pot\u00a0sold in Quebec.<\/p>\n
Residents including\u00a0Virgine Roussin say\u00a0the strong cannabis odour emanating from the production facility is affecting her lifestyle.<\/p>\n
“I have a five-year-old son and I’m mad because it’s not supposed to smell. That’s what they [Hexo] told us,” Roussin said in an interview from her home down the road from the facility.<\/p>\n
She said the daily smell has become so intolerable\u00a0she no longer hangs her laundry out to dry or\u00a0leaves her windows open.<\/p>\n
“Last Sunday we opened a bit of my son’s room [window] and we closed the door. Afterward when we came back at night, it was like we smoked a joint in the room.”<\/p>\n
Roussin said the smell sometimes causes her throat to itch and she’s worried about the long-term health effects of the emissions.<\/p>\n
Hexo spokesperson Caroline Milliard said cannabis is natural, its aroma is “harmless,” and smelling it doesn’t get you high.<\/p>\n
“The THC component of the plant has to be burned or heated, that’s [when] you can have a therapeutical (sic) or psychoactive effect,” Milliard said.<\/p>\n
According to Milliard, the company formerly known as Hydropothecary meets all Health Canada regulations, uses “high quality carbon filters” to reduce the smell and composts cannabis waste.<\/p>\n
Hexo\u00a0said it has already met with local, provincial and federal politicians to discuss concerns.<\/p>\n
Gatineau Mayor Maxime Pedneaud-Jobin said the province is in charge of responding to issues with cannabis facilities\u00a0and he’s not ready to consider restricting those businesses within Gatineau.<\/p>\n
“The plant is in an area where it is fairly isolated. Yes, there are citizens that live around but not as many as in other areas in Gatineau. I think the location is quite good,” Pedneaud-Jobin said.<\/p>\n
“They have to improve the technology so the smell is not as strong as it is. They’re willing to do that. I think that’s the first step before we talk about any kind of ban.”<\/p>\n
Last spring, Public Health Ontario (PHO) looked at the potential health effects related to the smells coming from cannabis operations.<\/p>\n
“Our study found that there’s nothing that answers that question yet,” said Dr. Ray Copes, PHO’s chief of environmental and occupational health.<\/p>\n
Copes said cannabis production facilities usually pop up in rural areas and lack the sample population required to conduct scientific studies.<\/p>\n
The provincial health authority’s analysis does show that strong smells can lead to headaches or irritation in people with a low tolerance for odour, but for the most part this remains a “nuisance” issue.<\/p>\n
PHO recommended creating a system to “report and track nuisance odours” to come up with ways to fix potential problems.<\/p>\n
“People don’t find [the smell] pleasant and feel that it leads to a decrease at least in their quality of life and their ability to enjoy their property,” said Copes.<\/p>\n
Roussin said the community has asked for a meeting with Hexo but has yet to get a response.<\/p>\n
Hexo’s Milliard said the company is planning a community meeting and wants to hold an open house for residents, but dates have not yet been set.<\/p>\n