Council here has declined a proposal from a trucking company to purchase land in the Drayton Industrial Park for a cannabis processing plant.
Council made the decision on Aug. 28 following a closed session discussion about the Autobahn Freight Lines proposal.
The Brampton-based trucking service, which, according to its website, primarily hauls regular and hazmat truck loads from Canada and the U.S., entered negotiations with the township in June.
On June 26 Autobahn representatives Harjeet Randhawa, an agrologist, and Harvinder Singh presented the proposal in person to Mapleton council.
Randhawa and Singh told council at the time the Autobahn Group was fronting the money for the processing plant, but ultimately the two businesses would operate separately once the facility was up and running.
They proposed a 46,000-square-foot production and warehouse facility surrounded by eight-foot fencing on seven of the 23 acres available in phase two of the industrial park.
From the beginning, councillors had concerns about waste disposal and odour pollution at the proposed facility.
Randhawa explained waste would be planted, after chopping and mixing it with cat litter, in accordance with Health Canada regulations.
He added carbon filters would be used within the facility to control odours.
Despite Randhawa’s assurances that the plant would adhere to Health Canada regulations, council ultimately rejected the application.
A motion read by Mayor Neil Driscoll following the Aug. 28 closed session, stated council “has declined the offer of purchase from Autobahn Freight Lines.”
The motion also directed township staff to “investigate the new provincial regulations and report back” to council.
