Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford is gaining insight from world leaders in medicinal cannabis cultivation, manufacturing and distribution to help ensure the success of this new and emerging industry in Victoria.
Ms Pulford was in Canada to meet with a number of medicinal cannabis companies including some of Canada’s largest producers of medicinal cannabis, Aurora Enterprises, ABcannMedicinals and Canopy Growth Corporation.
Highlights included visiting the highly automated 800,000 square foot Aurora Sky facility now under construction at Edmonton International Airport, as well as the company’s 55,000 square foot production facility in Mountain View County, Alberta, which was Canada’s first purpose-built indoor medicinal cannabis growing facility.
Ms Pulford will also travel to Israel to meet key industry leaders to discuss opportunities for collaboration to further develop Victoria’s medicinal cannabis industry.
She is set to meet with the Shizim Group, Israel’s largest privately owned biomed services group which provides companies with mentoring and consultation while helping them find relevant investors.
The Andrews Labor Government marked a milestone for Victoria’s medicinal cannabis industry in March this year with the granting of Australia’s first commercial medicinal cannabis licence to Melbourne based company, Cann Group, who Ms Pulford is also meeting in Canada.
“Across the world medicinal cannabis products are changing the lives of patients who suffer from a number of medical conditions and Victoria is well advanced in delivering medicinal cannabis to those who need it most”, said Minister for Agriculture Jaala Pulford.
“By building on our existing strengths – such as Victoria’s advanced manufacturing and bio and med-tech capabilities – we are well-placed to develop an industry that provides patients with safe, effective, life-changing medicines.”
“This is an opportunity to learn from Canadian and Israeli industry leaders on the challenges and opportunities in this developing market, the pathway for industry and the role that government can best play.”
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