The blunt truth: Industrial safety in cannabis growing facilities

Since the legalization of cannabis in Canada, there has been a steady increase in the number of licences issued by Health Canada. As the cannabis industry is in its infancy and at the start of a larger expansion, there are safety concerns that need to be addressed. Regulatory gaps that could lead to incidents of unsafe operating practices at cannabis growing facilities need to be addressed. This paper attempts to fill these gaps by evaluating policies to mitigating and reduce the risk of unsafe operating practices in Metro Vancouver, either by proactive or reactive measures. It evaluates three policy options intended to create a safer, more comprehensive regulatory system to prevent unsafe operating practices: increased inspections, continuing professional education, and the status quo.