High hopes for former Chesterville coffee factory

Around 2,000 people live in Chesterville, Ont., a village about 60 kilometressoutheast of Ottawa,and mostof them can remember when theNestlchocolate and coffee factory shut its doors in 2006.

"It was devastating," said NorthDundas Mayor Eric Duncan, whose township includes Chesterville.

"Hundreds of people were out of work [from the] only job they'd ever known. Generations of families relied on that factory."

Now Duncan says he's hearing a renewed optimism from residentsfollowing the announcement that the factory should once again become a major local employer.

An agreement between IDPGroup, the current owners of the the former plant, and aninvestment company that specializes in the cannabis business would lead to a full retrofit of the 373,000 square foot facility to produce marijuana.

If approved, IDPGroup will run the plant processing operationwhile Vancouver financier Cannabis Wheaten will get a cut of the profits.

"It'sa big step in the right direction," said Duncan.

"Alot of work still has to be done, but I think a lot of people in the area are excited about it."

Hundreds of jobs

Duncan says more people working stable jobs wouldhave a ripple effect throughout the area, as people spend more on real estate and local businesses.

Hamed Asl, a partner atIDP Group said in two to three yearsas many as 300 full-time employees could be working there.

He says the company was already installingand testing "indoor farmingsystems"in anticipation of the deal being finalized.

According the the agreement Cannabis Wheaten wouldinject an immediate $12 million dollar investment toward phase one of the redevelopment: 100,000 square feet of production space that can produce around 7.5 million grams of cannabis per year.

"Everything you have to ramp up a major operation is here," said Asl.

"You have a lot of height when it comes to vertical farming that's really important 40 acres of industrial land adjacent to the factory that's ready for development, and no shortage of power or water."

Aslsaid itwas the "can-do"attitude of the Chesterville community leaders that initially drew the company to the area.

"They were excited, they wanted to do it, there was a lot of support," hesaid.

Nearby precedent

Long time Chestervilleresident Ron Whittaker worked at the oldNestlfactory for 36 yearsuntil the plant closed

He says he has no intention of returningto work, but he's happy to hear there couldbe opportunities for others.

"It's jobs.That's great. Everybody need jobs!" said Whittaker.

Chestervillehas onlyto look west at the community of Smiths Falls to see how it could allplay out.

The city's main employer Hershey shut down its chocolate plant in 2009 but three years ago, it reopened as a medicinal marijuana facility.