Sorry, you’re growing what?
In researching Canadian towns that are faced with current or near future demographic shifts, common features to addressing this and remaining relevant and viable in existence are creativity and adaptability that asks how can we do the most with what we have? A town that choose a unique pathway to evolve and seek sustainability is Atholville, New Brunswick with was double effected by industry closure and primary production closure in a short period of time. As part of CBC summer 2018 showcase of communities adapting to demographic and other change called transformation Atholville proactively addressed the coming demographic shift that would draw young people away in the search of employment. When the paper mill and yarn factory closed down, they permitted the BC based company of Zenabis to enter the town and transform the yarn factory in a hydroponic facility for growing cannabis for medical and recreation demands. As agriculture feeds cities, yet is vilified for the smells or perceived effects of the process, the growth of cannabis is demanded by urbanites yet is controversial. Retrofitting the former factory for this purpose serves to capture by-products that may be associated with the production that urban areas may oppose having close to large urban centers. By containing the process in a building no smells and no product losses can occur, which could be worries if production were to be occurring in a local field.
Furthermore, the nearby mine that provided employment for the town which was shut down early was transformed to a geothermal energy facility to provide energy for regional businesses. This energy is far more sustainable than fossil fuels and while working towards green energy infrastructure goals of Canada, it also provides the opportunity for affordable energy which will continue to require educated people to remain in the community and for the community to continue to grow and provide necessary services to create incentive for the town to be a place of opportunity.
While the town has choose to go a more cash crop focused roots, if issues of food security for the town were to occur, there is a possibility of integrating food crops into a hydroponic program for local consumption. Either way, urban demand shall continue to drive production and the economy of Atholville, NB while ensuring that employment options for the town remain to deter the brain drain of young people who may be drawn to urbanized areas for greater employment opportunities. The manager of Zenabis, May Nazair, calls the adaption that she has seen in the town as a testament of “the resilience of rural Canada.” From within the community assessed what they had and choose a direction to meet their economic needs while providing a range of income opportunities from the geothermal plant to Zenabis.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/transformation-canada-series-cbc-news-1.4722096