Business View Magazine | September 2019

165 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2019 and for the municipalities we were dealing with. “Then, we connected with the Cronos Group – they were looking to buy what was known as the Peace Naturals project, their property in Stayner, Ontario. Prior to them finalizing the purchase, they wanted us to take a look at both the existing facilities that were there on the property, the existing planning framework that was in place, and all the outstanding building permits, to get a broad understanding of the risks involved in purchasing the property. So, we did a high-level study for them, initially. That led to some smaller-scale retrofit work of their existing facilities, which then led to the work that we’ve recently completed, which was their 280,000-sq.-ft. facility.” “We have also been involved with a group called MedMen, based out of California that is expanding into the Canadian market,” Scorgie adds. “They are looking at the Alberta and British Columbia markets, with an interest in setting up commercial storefronts. On the planning side, we have been engaged to assist with their due diligence. We worked with them to identify a short list of potential sites for their operations, which involved compliance report letters and what we call ‘radii mapping.’ The process involves a high-level review of the policy and regulatory framework, both at the provincial and the municipal levels. A lot of the policies and regulations, both in Alberta and British Columbia, center around separation distances between commercial cannabis storefronts and what are perceived to be ‘sensitive uses’– schools, childcare facilities, community centers, etc. It can be quite challenging to pinpoint a location that meets all the criteria. “The first step is to determine if the site meets the intent of the policy framework with respect to the use of the land. Then we proceed to a secondary stage of analysis, where we look at the proximity of these locations to sensitive uses, as well as their competitors. In both Alberta and British Columbia, there are a lot of unlicensed retail establishments. So, it becomes a matter of identifying which have submitted applications to receive licenses, and which haven’t.” Another sector that SvN has gotten involved with, recently, is that of real estate investment trusts that own large swaths of commercial land in and around Toronto. “These are companies that, traditionally, would operate in enclosed mall structures or open air strip malls,” Scorgie notes. “We’re working with these clients to realize the untapped development potential of these sites. Many are located within the inner suburbs, near major intersections, are relatively accessible by transit and are in close proximity to neighborhood amenities. These sites represent some of the last, real, large-scale opportunities for urban intensification. The suburbs are being transformed in large part by the redevelopment of these sites, and their location lends well to this type of redevelopment. “We are working with some of these real estate investment trusts to transform these sites into vibrant and diverse communities that are transit- supportive. In doing so, we are incorporating a variety and mix of uses. Often, the process includes SVN ARCHI TECTS & PLANNERS INC .