NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT The massive Aurora Sun facility is seen in this photo taken in late September from the parking lot of the Canalta Centre. The company said on Thursday that construction on it and a number of other projects is going well.
Aurora Cannabis provided investors with an update on a long list of infrastructure projects and related company operations on Thursday, stating that the majority of its massive outlay of cash for facilities is coming to an end.
As for the 1.6-million square-foot facility currently under construction in Medicine Hat, the company only states the Aurora Sun facility is proceeding in line with previous statements.
“Aurora Sun is nearing completion with the majority of capital investment now behind us,” stated Aurora CEO Terry Booth.
“Our design philosophy allows for flexibility in licensing and commissioning in-line with the long-term growth in global demand for medical cannabis.”
Recent notes in financial statements say the facility will be in full cultivation mode by mid-2020, though the company has stated the huge facility will be commissioned in stages and growing will begin in phases as licensing is obtained.
The facility, first announced as a 1-million square-foot growing and processing facility in early 2018, was expanded after construction began with new figures provided during a media tour last March.
This week at the site in northwest Medicine Hat, the envelope of the greenhouse appears completed and all but one side of an adjoining processing space is closed in.
This summer the company applied to the local planning commission to establish on-site trailers for staff training purposes and logistics needs.
Once complete, the facility will produce 260,000 kg of dried cannabis at full production, which will undergo initial processing here before being shipped near Leduc for further processing, according to a company update in the spring.
That facility, known as Aurora Polaris, could be fully complete and operational in early November, according to Thursday’s update.
It will be the company’s “Hub for industrial-scale production of higher margin, value-added products, such as edibles and vape products.”
Another facility in Edmonton, owned by Aurora related company, Radient Technologies, will focus on CBD extraction. It’s two-phase expansions are planned to come online in late 2019 and then 2020 to handle hemp processing.
Aurora is also constructing a major growing facility in Denmark, known as Aurora Nordic, and a smaller facility in Whistler to concentrate on organically grown products, a research facility in Comox, B.C., and has Installed solar panels at its Mountainview facility, near Cremona,Alta.
Aurora also holds interest in several CBD and medicinal marijuana producers and research firms as well as retailers, High Tide, Choom and Alcanna (Nova brand) stores.
