Two hundred marijuana plants started growing in a large industrial building in Kitchener’s south end on Friday.

They belong to James E. Wagner Cultivation, which is the 38th company to receive a licence to grow marijuana from Health Canada – and the first such company in Kitchener.

“We’re excited to be able to finally help the patients of Canada navigate the challenges of the medicinal cannabis market,” company president Nathan Woodworth said in an interview.

The company started with a group of Waterloo Region residents who were licensed to produce marijuana for themselves.

Over time, their association evolved into a decision to develop a larger operation.

“We didn’t know exactly what we were getting ourselves into, but we decided to pursue it to the full extent,” said Laura Foster, the company’s vice-president and Woodworth’s sister. (A third sibling is also involved, and other relatives work there too.)

For now, James E. Wagner Cultivation is permitted to have up to 100 kilograms of marijuana in its vault at any one time.

Woodworth says that limit could be increased if they build up enough of a customer base – which is exactly what they plan to do.

They have the space to grow enough marijuana for up to 1,000 customers, and expansion plans are already in the works.

However, the company isn’t actually licensed to sell their product yet. First, they have to send two test batches to Health Canada for approval.

Woodworth says he expects that the company will be given a licence to sell marijuana by the summer. They’ve already been in touch with some prospective customers.

“We feel that the quality of product that we produce will quickly entice patients to come with us,” he said.

To achieve that quality, Woodworth says, his company uses an aeroponic system – meaning that plants are treated with a nutrient spray, rather than being placed in soil.

If Health Canada gives the company their OK, medical marijuana users will be able to purchase their product online. For security reasons, customers aren’t allowed to access the business in-person.

With reporting by Marc Venema