Tilray is closing its Leamington cannabis greenhouse, but its Enniskillen operation will continue production.

BC-based Tilray bought Natura Naturals in 2019 to grow cannabis for the recreational market. By that time, operations at the High Park Farms Lasalle Road greenhouse were well underway and the company was hoping to set up a production area for edibles and chocolates.

But the cannabis industry across Canada hit a cash crunch particularly in Ontario where retail stores weren’t opened as quickly. In February, Tilray reduced its nation-wide workforce by 10 per cent. In Enniskillen, the workforce of over 200 was trimmed by at least 40 positionsto save money.

The United Food and Commercial Workers Union started a union drive shortly after that saying new employees were being brought in at a lower salary than the original employees.

Wednesday, Tilray’s CEO, Brendan Kennedy, said the Leamington operation – also branded as High Park Farms – would be closed down in six weeks time.

““We are continuously evaluating the evolving needs of our business, against a challenging industry backdrop, to ensure we’re in the best position to produce world-class products and deliver positive results for our stakeholders,” says Kennedy, in a news release. “The decision to close a facility is never easy but we are confident that this will immediately put Tilray in a better position to achieve our goals of driving revenues across our core businesses.”

Officials say the Enniskillen greenhouse and the London processing plant will continue to serve the Ontario recreational and medicinal market.