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Budding Business

College to host conference on the hemp and cannabis industry in southeast Alberta

Nov 14, 2019 | 5:33 PM

Medicine Hat, AB – The hemp and cannabis industry is growing here in southeast Alberta.

With Aurora Cannabis set to be opening their facility next year, the Medicine Hat College is taking steps to make sure the workforce in the gas city for it and other opportunities.

That’s why on November 22, the college will be hosting its first ‘Hemp and Cannabis Conference.’

“We wanted to have this conference so that we could show to our local stakeholders about future opportunities. Both for those who might be looking for work or wanting to get training in the industry but also for existing businesses. So that they can see the business to business opportunities because this is a high growth industry,” said the college’s manager of business development, Tracy Stroud.

Stroud says that there will be five speakers from the industry.

All of which are located in the region.

“So you’re really going to get that local perspective. People can come and learn whether you know nothing about the industry, we’ll have something for you. But even if you’re quite versed we’ll have something for you too.”

Included in the speakers is Ryan Jackson from Folium Biosciences, who is set to break ground on a hemp extraction facility, near Aurora, this fall.

Stroud says that with 1,000 jobs expected to be in the southeast Alberta region in the industry, it’s important that the college gets involved.

“From a training perspective, of course, we want to have that opportunity for our students so that they know that this is an emerging industry that’s coming and growing in our region. And we want them to have that experience. Also for potential students. If you’re looking to get into this industry we’ve got training programs that are running now and we can help you with that,” she said.

The conference runs from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and tickets cost $35.