A town with a great attitude ... Canopy Growth Corporation opened up a modest shop in the old Hershey factory in 2013 and has since put Smiths Falls on the cannabis map by becoming one of the world’s largest licensed producers.
The company has set the stage for being a prime cannabis tourism destination by building a “world-class visitors centre” which has already seen tens of thousands of visitors in its first season.
Mayor Shawn Pankow says once the site is approved to sell products – something the town has been lobbying for – the number of visitors to the small town will inevitably skyrocket.
“We’re embarking on what is largely new territory,” he said.
“It’s almost like we’re pioneers in the Old West and we’re heading out and we’re not sure what we’re going to find at the other end. But if we have a strategy and a plan, I think we’re much more likely to create success.”
He said it’s important to have a plan in place to deal with the inevitable uptick in visitors to ensure the town is properly equipped, particularly for those who decide to try cannabis for the first time.
“We want to make sure we have the right environment for them and make sure they become an informed consumer before they try.”
Right now, it’s all contingent on Health Canada regulations, but Pankow is hoping the idea takes root.
“We’ve already put it out there to Health Canada that we’d be willing to be a pilot community for some of these initiatives, with the belief and understanding that it makes sense probably to try them in a more of a contained, controlled environment with some monitoring and measurable results than to simply throw it out there to start.”
If council votes to adopt the tourism strategy, it will be moving forward without a clear cut example to follow, though it plans to draw inspiration from the global wine tourism industry.
Some challenges to the strategy, according to the report, include government regulations, consumer perception, timing and legalization of edibles, marketing restrictions, and the availability of trained and educated staff and entrepreneurs.
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