GrowForce, Peguis team up to grow cannabis near Selkirk, Man.

A Canadian cannabis company building a massive production facility in Winnipeg has set its sights on expansion in the Selkirk area.

GrowForceHoldings andPeguisFirst Nation areannouncing theirjoint venture at a news conference today, which officials say willlead to"local investment, significant job creation and long-term economic development" for the First Nationand theSelkirk area.

New facilities will be built "in or near" Selkirk, a news release states.

Pat Witcher, vice-president of strategic partnerships forGrowForce, toldCBCNews the initial planis to build a production facility which would be the firm's fourth legal grow-opin Canada.

He creditslow electricity rates, central location and the relationships they've fosteredwith First Nations partners forenticing the company to Manitoba.

The firm expects to hire 75 to 150 people in theSelkirk region. Construction would likely startin early 2019 and the square footage of the facility is not yet known, he said.

Retail, distribution models

Beyond plans tobuild alegal cannabis farm,GrowForceofficials don'tknow the number of facilities they might build in the area, theirsizeor theirpurpose.

"We're looking at opportunities in retail as that comes onlineand distribution models for the medical side," he said.

The announcement wasmadeon NationalIndigenous Peoples Dayto honour the spirit of reconciliation, according to the news release.

PeguisFirst Nation Chief Glenn Hudson said the band considered various partnerships before settling onGrowForce. He likes the firm's knowledge of the industryandvision to develop a nationwide seed-to-sale cannabis strategy in collaboration withFirst Nations and Indigenous peoples.

GrowForceis currently renovating a120,000 sq. ft. facilityin St. Boniface for the purposes of building their"flagship cannabis cultivation facility" in Winnipeg. It will bring150-200 jobs to the city.

GrowForceis also building cannabis facilitiesinBrampton, Ont., andDunnville, Ont.