BATTLEFORD, SASK. — Westleaf Inc., a Calgary-based cannabis cultivation company, recently announced it has substantially completed the exterior construction work and is now commencing on the interior work for its Thunderchild facility in Saskatchewan.

When complete, the 130,000-square-foot indoor cultivation facility is expected to yield approximately 14,600 kilograms of flower each year. Westleaf stated when the facility is licensed by health Canada, it will be its flagship facility for cannabis production.

“The Thunderchild facility is a key component in Westleaf’s vertically integrated cannabis strategy,” said Scott Hurd, president and CEO of Westleaf, in a press release. “This facility is designed to produce some of the highest quality cannabis in the industry.”

He added the facility will source product to feed Westleaf’s extraction and processing facility in Calgary and can be sold through its wholly owned retail stores, Prairie Records, that are opening across Western Canada.

“This three-pronged approach provides us a unique advantage in the industry as we will be able to adjust product mix based on real time consumer feedback from the retail level and allow us to capture margin across the entire vertical cannabis chain,” said Hurd.

The Thunderchild project started as a partnership with the Thunderchild First Nation and is being built on the First Nation’s land in Battleford, Sask.

The company stated Thunderchild is of special importance to the company as it was one of its early investors and is still one of the largest shareholders.

“We believe this facility will be a source of pride for the members of the Thunderchild Nation and provide a source of long-term employment going forward,” said Hurd.

When in operation, the facility is expected to employ up to 150 people locally.

The development of the Thunderchild facility is being overseen by four members of the Westleaf executive team who all have had experience in the Colorado cannabis industry. Collectively they have designed 48 and operated 24 cannabis cultivation and production facilities across North America.