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“This is ridiculous. We’re getting danced around here,” he said of the Young’s responses to the crowd’s questions.

Hermann, owner of HLH Investments, demanded an inspector be sent to ensure the North Routledge Park operation complies with Health Canada ventilation requirements.

The federal agency, which regulates production of medical marijuana, requires growers to install air filtration systems to contain odours.

“It’s very obvious it’s raw ventilation coming from the building,” Hermann said, adding the smell that gets worse in warm weather. “It’s sickening.”

A man who previously identified himself as the operator of the marijuana business told The Free Press that he grows for medicinal users and complies fully with Health Canada requirements. The man, who declined to give his name, didn’t disclose how many plants are being cultivated inside the former Spencer Steel building.

But city staff estimate it holds as many as 1,800 cannabis plants, Morgan said, noting the owner has a valid permit to grow medical marijuana.

Under Canada’s marijuana law, adults with pot prescriptions may grow their own cannabis or appoint an individual approved by Health Canada to do it for them. These growers are separate from the country’s nearly 150 commercial licensed producers, large-scale growers who supply most of Canada’s medical marijuana and all its recreational pot.

Young said she has raised the issue with an MP from Niagara, where there’s a similar problem, and with Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor, but stopped short of acceding to the crowd’s demand to bring their concerns directly to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

“I know some of you have written complaint letters, and I really encourage you to do that,” Young said, prompting a backlash from the audience.

Allan Tipping, who led the fight against OrgaWorld, a south London compost giant slapped with a massive 2017 fine for foul odours, urged those in attendance to keep complaining.

“Unfortunately, you have to complain, people. You have to keep going at it,” he said.

dcarruthers@postmedia.com