Legal pot grow-op next door making staff sick, GTA businessman says
Mario Bottoni has spent hours calling city, police and fire officials
A Vaughan man says that the overwhelming smell of marijuana wafting from an allegedly legal grow-op next door to his restoration business is causing serious problems for his staff.
Mario Bottoni has had to close his doors for the past two weeks after some of his staff and his wife fell ill due to the distinctive odour.
“She’s on two puffers, she’s constantly coughing,” says Bottoni.
Bottoni has spent hours calling the city, police and fire officials, but they have told him that the grow operation is legal and licensed by Health Canada, making it a matter of federal jurisdiction.
In April, the federal government began implementing new rules that make it illegal for medical marijuana users to grow pot at home. The intent was to shift production to fewer consolidated, professional growers.
Medical marijuana users have since challenged the new rules in court and a court of appeal sided with them earlier this month.
Health Canada says it has, however, received multiple complaints similar to Bottoni’s since the new regime was implemented.
The owner of the grow operation declined to speak with CBC News, but you can find out more by watching the video report from the CBC’s Shannon Martin above.