November 19, 2019

Business owners, potential start-ups and job seekers will have the opportunity to hear from hemp and cannabis industry experts and gain insight into one of Medicine Hat and southeastern Alberta’s emerging industries and labour markets.

The Hemp and Cannabis Opportunities Conference is being hosted by APEX Alberta, a collaborative initiative and partnership between three core service providers: Alberta Innovates, Community Futures Entre-Corp and Medicine Hat College (MHC), on Friday, Nov. 22 from 7:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at MHC.

“This conference is an opportunity to share information and knowledge of the hemp and cannabis sectors in our region. We hope to foster relationship building in these sectors, and for attendees to make informed decisions, either for their own career choices or growth opportunities for their business,” says Tracy Stroud, manager of business development at MHC and serving member of APEX.

“There is a lot of growth in southern Alberta in the hemp and cannabis sectors. Alberta alone is the second largest producer of hemp in Canada, after Saskatchewan,” adds Stroud. “A recent study for these sectors in Medicine Hat, Brooks, and southeastern Alberta, uncovered that there is over a dozen companies existing or proposed for the region. This means not only job opportunities, but Business to Business opportunities.”

The conference features presentations from five industry experts and concludes with a networking luncheon.

A representative from MHC will also highlight two courses currently offered through its Department of Continuing Studies. These courses provide participants with the skills and training needed to obtain entry-level employment in the industry, a proactive approach by the college to fulfill the demand for skilled workers.

Stroud encourages everyone with an interest in hemp and cannabis to take advantage of this educational opportunity.

“Whether you have a wide knowledge of hemp and cannabis or know very little, we invite you to attend. You will hear from a wide variety of presenters that come with years of knowledge and experience, both from industry experts and companies that are existing or proposed for the region.”

Tickets to this event are $35 and can be purchased through Eventbrite at https://hempcannabismh.eventbrite.ca. Participants must be 18 years of age and older.

For more information regarding the Hemp and Cannabis Opportunities Conference, contact Tracy Stroud at 403.504.3585 or visit www.apexalberta.ca.