Moncton-based marijuana producer Organigram has been in a near-constant state of growth since it was founded three years ago. But just over a week after partnering with the province ahead of impending legalization of recreation marijuana, expansion is ramping up.
“That announcement puts it into hyper drive a little bit, but we've been working towards the recreational market for quite some time,” says Larry Rogers, vice-president of Organigram special projects and business development.
The $60-million expansion will bring the facility up to 250,000 square feet, skyrocketing its production capacity from roughly 3,500 kilograms of marijuana to more than 20,000 kilograms by next July.
“Twenty-three new grow rooms that are about twice the size of our existing grow rooms, of which we have 12 right now,” says Organigram chief commercial officer Ray Gracewood. “We've got space for other pieces of our business which is oils and extracts lab, as well as packaging areas.”
With the additional space comes additional jobs. Organigram currently has more than 110 employees, but they'll need about 250 once expansion is complete. A job fair is tentatively scheduled for late October.
Gracewood says the positions will have a heavy emphasis on production and cultivation.
“Right across the business there's opportunities, whether it's the administrative side of the business, like human resources, finance, or all the way down to client service and marketing,” he says.
Last year, the Community College of New Brunswick announced plans for a pot cultivation course working with two New Brunswick-based growers, including Organigram. CCNB tells CTV News a further announcement will be made later this fall.
The current project at Organigram is on budget and on schedule, eyeing completion by the end of the year. The company is slated to provide the province with a minimum of 5 million grams of weed each year after legalization.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.
