Photo: Pilot PMR

Sunniva Inc., which is planning to build BC's largest medical cannabis facility on Osoyoos Indian Band land, is working with OK College to set up a training program for future employees.

Sunniva Inc., the company owned by Tony Holler that is proposing to build a 700,000 square-foot medical marijuana greenhouse near Oliver, is in discussion with Okanagan College about setting up a training curriculum for its future employees.

"It would be a new offering for sure," Dennis Silvestrone said, OK College's director of continuing studies corporate development.

The idea was first sparked in the fall when the involved parties met, according to Silvestrone.

"Since then, a couple of my colleagues have been working with members of (Sunniva's developers), to scope out a training program for folks that would be working in the greenhouse," he said.

"They've been developing job descriptions, we've been looking at competency, skills and knowledge that would be required for those positions."

He said the program would likely be a course of 300-400 hours of theory and practice, with work experience involved at the Sunniva greenhouse to train people for skilled labour positions.

The school also anticipates that some current course offerings in horticulture would be included to the new program relating to cannabis.

Holler said he expects his cannabis greenhouse would employ about 200 people.

It's not the only new marijuana greenhouse planned in the Okanagan; a Vernon-based medicinal marijuana company is building a similar facility in Lumby.

With the cannabis industry budding, Silvestrone said he believes there will be good student interest if a related curriculum is set up with OK College.

"This could be a significant economic driver for the Okanagan, if we look forward over the next three to five years," he said.

"I would anticipate there will be a significant demand for skilled labour, in a number of areas related to the supply chain for cannabis."

Silvestrone said he knows of a few schools in eastern Canada that have set up similar training programs for the cannabis industry, adding OK College has a "progressive stance" on training for that field.

"For us, it's exciting to be part of a start-up of what could be quite a large business in the South Okanagan, and to be able to support that and create good jobs for people who live in the area," he said.

"We're happy to be able to support (Sunniva's project)... and look forward to ways we can work with other similar companies across the Okanagan."