A cannabis oil extraction and processing facility will soon be operating in Delta.
Embark Health Inc. this week announced it has been granted a processing licence from Health Canada to purchase cannabis material from licensed producers to extract cannabinoids.
The extracted oils would be sold or processed in an array of cannabis-based consumer products, such as edibles, bottled juices to cooking oil.
Last summer, city council granted approval for the company to rezone and retrofit a 40,000-square-foot, three-storey industrial building on Annacis Island to establish a production facility with an associated research and development component.
A Delta staff report notes the business model includes innovative extraction technology and equipment as well as a clinical and lab research component to support the medical market.
Embark has advised there is interest from the medical community in developing extraction technology so that extremely pure forms of the cannabinoids can be obtained.
The report also notes Embark has established partnerships with a number of post-secondary clinical research labs, including the University of British Columbia, McGill University and Stanford University.
The retail sales of cannabis or any products containing or derived from cannabis remains prohibited under the city’s zoning bylaw, so the application needed to go through council and a public hearing.
The company still needs final building and occupancy permits from the city.
Delta staff was supportive of the location of the production facility, noting there’s been no problems with another marijuana facility, Zenabis, also located on Annacis Island.
