Marijuana To The Rescue In Smiths Falls, Ontario? Depends On Who You Ask

09:45

June 21, 2018

Peter O'Dowd

Marijuana plants in the "Flowering Room" at the Canopy Growth Corporation in Smiths Falls, Ontario. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

This is part two of a two-part story. Listen to part one here.

The small town of Smiths Falls, Ontario, has felt the pain of an increasingly globalized economy. Ten years ago, the Hershey's Chocolate factory there shut down, wiping out hundreds of jobs.

But as Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd (@odowdpeter) reports, Canada's embrace of legal marijuana has helped another industry blossom in Smiths Falls — and some residents are breathing a sigh of relief.

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Mayor of Smiths Falls Shawn Pankow stands by the Rideau Canal where the old water treatment facility, left, will be converted into a hotel and hospitality center proposed by the Canopy Growth Corporation. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

A patriotic elderly couple on scooters rides past the Dollar World store in downtown Smiths Falls. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

A man walks by the abandoned Hotel Rideau in downtown Smiths Falls. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Debra Kimberly Findlay sits in a chair in front of the Mission Restaurant in Downtown Smiths Falls. Findlay says she has no interest in a marijuana job. And she says the arrival of Canopy is only reinforcing the town's image as a down-on-its luck kind of place, "Cause they'll just call it the 'Dope Town.' " (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

The scene outside of Tim Horton's in downtown Smiths Falls. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

This segment aired on June 21, 2018.

Marijuana To The Rescue In Smiths Falls, Ontario? Depends On Who You Ask

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