Medical marijuana facility under construction

The first private medical marijuana facility on Prince Edward Island is being built in Charlottetown.

Construction has started on Canada's Island Garden. The facility is over 2,200 square metresand is located in BioCommons Research Park.

Co-owner Edwin Jewel said construction is expected to be completed by late November.

It willthen have to belicensedby Health Canada.

"I think the biggest challenge for Canada's Island Garden is to make sure we meet or exceed all of the regulations HealthCanadahas laid out," said Jewel.

"They are very particular in the way they want their inventory controlled, security of the site is of the utmost importance and they'll be coming to our facility here to do an inspection before they grant us a licence."

Jewel saidthe facility will have high securitybased on federal government standards.

"Our security system will cost about $300,000. There's about 64 cameras in and around the facility," said Jewel.

The medical marijuana will grown, cut, and packaged at the facility. It will be sold to Canadians who are part of the medical marijuana program.

Jewel says he plans to use state of the art growing methods including LED lights to grow the plants.

Canada's Island Garden will employ up to 30 people.

Private investors put $3 million to build the facility, with another $3 million coming from lenders.