FSD Pharma Announces Restoration of Certo building

At a Press Conference on Tuesday Oct 9, Thomas Fairfull, President and CEO of FSD Pharma had a ribbon cutting ceremony as he announced the start of work on “converting the historic Certo building … into a heritage museum and on-site dispensary. The Certo building is an important part of Cobourg’s history and the Company intends to preserve this unique building.”  But they are seemingly not interested in local media, only “national media with media credentials” were invited – so the photo below was taken later in the day.  Mayor Brocanier and Mayor Elect John Henderson were at the ribbon cutting but MP Kim Rudd was not although she was invited.  The Certo building on the old Kraft property was originally slated to be demolished, but a year ago, Diane Chin, President of the Architectural Conservancy Ontario, Cobourg branch, asked council to deny the demolition permit and designate the building as having Heritage value.

Alison Torrie Lapaire was the Town’s Heritage Planner at the time and she reported to Council:

In my opinion, the subject property meets numerous criteria for designation under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act, and as prescribed by O.Reg. 9/06. The site is culturally significant because of its design and physical value, historical and associative value, and contextual value. The subject property is an example of a well-designed early 20th century industrial building complex with associated buildings that is a local landmark.

Certo Building on October 9, 2018
Certo Building on October 9, 2018

Council denied the demolition permit and the building was designated and now the work to clean it up and preserve it has started.  Presumably that includes making it fit for human habitation – see the link below on the reasons for demolition.

Security at the William street gate denied me access to the property but the building is near Ontario Street so can be viewed from there.  Although photos of workers were also denied, I managed to see that workers are indeed on site and cleaning the inside from the back door. The photo at right is of the front which looks the same as it did a year ago (see links below).  The original estimate to fix it was approx. $500,000.

It seems that Fairfull wants to turn the problem into an advantage and make the place a destination.  He said he thinks it’s important for his company to support heritage in the Town.  I’d suggest that if he wants to make it a museum and dispensary, he needs to make access easier than it is currently.  Security is strong off William Street (as it should be) – maybe for the public access to the Museum/Dispensary they’ll bypass that tight security and provide access off Ontario Street.

The Press release quoted Fairfull:

“The former Certo building was the first in the British Empire to make commercial grade pectin that was sold under the product name of ‘Certo’ and is estimated at over 100 years old. The property is listed on the municipal heritage register as a property of cultural heritage value.

“Today, we also begin construction of our flagship on-site dispensary, an important component of our business plan as we sit on the brink of adult-use legalization on October 17, 2018 . The Company is preparing in earnest for sales of our high quality, indoor grown and pharmaceutical grade product, which will be available for sale shortly.”

At the ribbon cutting, Fairfull said that it will take 6 to 8 weeks before the dispensary opens. He’s assuming that the Town will allow a dispensary at that location – Council has until January 22, 2019 to decide on where cannabis stores will be allowed in the Town – if at all.  Although Gil was supportive, he won’t be on the Council which makes the decision. But it’s my understanding that there won’t be any retail sales in Ontario (apart from online) until April 1, 2019.

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Albert
5 years ago

Is this a done deal? Without public input?comment image

Frenchy
Reply to  Albert
5 years ago

“At the ribbon cutting, Fairfull said that it will take 6 to 8 weeks before the dispensary opens.”
Opens for what? Can’t sell dope until April 1st, 2019
“He’s assuming that the Town will allow a dispensary at that location”
Big pressure put on our new council for a “yes” by January 22nd. Our town’s (potentially) largest employer and whatever influence Gill has left will be leaning on a fresh batch of rookies on Council.
Methinks it’s a done deal folks.

Albert
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

Ms Frenchy, your herring fetish is affecting your spelling.
Now, where can one get those ‘HUGE’ weed hats?
I wonder if the Town Hall has them yet.

Frenchy
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

“FSD Pharma through its wholly-owned subsidiary FV Pharma, is a licensed producer of marijuana under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations (ACMPR)”
https://www.todaysnorthumberland.ca/2018/10/12/ribbon-cutting-for-new-heritage-museum-and-dispensary-in-cobourg/
I thought medical cannabis products are only available on-line, no over the counter sales even after Oct.17th.

manfred s
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

as an authorized dispensary they could presumably handle on-line sales of medical weed while selling the consumer varieties over the counter, couldn’t they?

Frenchy
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Well, I read that as they are licensed under the Access to Cannabis for Medical Purposes Regulations.
And, you’ve already called them an authorized dispensary. Something that Gill and John look comfortable with.
The pressure is on and the the fix is in. Wally can already see customers scurrying around the back door with bags over their heads worried about that social stigma.

manfred s
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

Frenchy, if you read my comment again, I said “as an authorized dispensary, they

    COULD

Frenchy
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

you’re right of course, sorry
coulda woulda shoulda

Kyle
Reply to  Albert
5 years ago

At least he could have given them hats that fit

Reply to  Albert
5 years ago

Smith Falls and now Cobourg will sell their souls to addict people to another dangerous drug which is also “legal”, but not lawful; Nicotine! (Alcohol too, just ask Die Fuhrer Ford!)

“Keep ’em happy and distracted and divided-and stoned, works for me, hee! hee!”

manfred s
Reply to  Reed Giroux
5 years ago

“Die” Fuhrer, that’s cute

CiW
5 years ago

Bravo FSDP!

Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Cobourg hosts the world of business.
Interesting ‘multicultural’ Board of Directors and management: http://fsdpharma.com/team/

manfred s
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Walter, next you’ll be telling us how our Economic Developers with GB at the helm actually sought out and successfully pitched these people to locate here as opposed to some other equally or more suitable location. It’s a bit late in the season for Koolaid, don’tya think?

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Manfred, no I won’t.
And what’s this about Koolaid?

manfred s
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Walter, I was obliquely making the suggestion that perhaps your ‘unquestioning’ support for all things ‘brocanier’ is somehow due to having drunk the ‘koolaid’, an expression that implies a lemming-like behaviour when it comes to believing things without the aid of a critical eye at times when it would be good to have one. At least, that’s the impression I’ve acquired and it may be unfair in your opinion but that’s what I see these days.

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Manfred, my learned friend.
Nah never drank no Kool Aid from nobody.
My opinion of Mayor Brocanier is based on personal experience as is yours.
But, many spurious, scurrilous and hateful postings have been made in this blog about recent Mayors, Councils and Staff.
So just call me ‘contrarian’.
And by the way, don’t be so credulous.
Lemmings do not commit mass suicide and ostriches do not bury their heads in the sand, and touching a toad won’t give you warts – contrary to public opinion.

manfred s
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

yes, that may be so, Walter, but the value of the ‘saying’ is still effective and delivers the intended connotation, I feel. I am glad to hear that you avoided the addictive ‘koolaid bar’ haha btw, isn’t it interesting that the most caustic comments are so often made by anonymous posters? Kinda suggests their worth, n’est pas?

Frenchy
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

manfred s, did you mean Flavor Aid?

manfred s
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

nope

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Hey, Walter, by comparison, check out the monocultural mouthpiece of the state, the CBC Board of Directors; http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/explore/board-of-directors/rob-jeffery/

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

What has the board of directors at CBC Radio Canada possibly got to do with “FSD Pharma Announces Restoration of Certo building”?

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Good point, Wally. The ‘public broadcaster’ showing its commitment to ‘diversity is our strength’.
They included French Canadians, after all.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

They shout “Diversity is our strength” but fail with their own lack of diversity; French/English. Walter, that is so 1960s-think re Two Solitudes, binary culture. Canada has changed but the CBC BofD obviously has not. Talk about privileged!

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Walter has been teaching me about red herrings.
comment image

Frenchy
5 years ago

This could put some pressure on our new council when it comes time to allow or disallow retail cannabis sales in our town.
Our town’s potentially biggest employer (original projections of up to 1400 jobs), announces they are going to restore a heritage building to its former glory and turn it “into a heritage museum and on-site dispensary” before they are sure they will be able to sell their product in town.
I wonder if the restoration will be completed before the January 22 deadline of council’s decision or if it might be contingent on that approval?

manfred s
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

“carrots” are cheap and plentyful, AND sometimes found in unlikely places, like maybe in the toolboxes of clever business types. Add to that the vulnerabilities that are heightened during an election cycle, and we see some clever moves made to take the best advantage of an ‘opportunity’.

Frenchy
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Your post sounds Kongzi-like, almost like something out of a fortune cookie.
I’m OK with it, but I hope your blog buddy doesn’t pick up on your spelling of plentiful. He’s been a little tough on sandpiper.

manfred s
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

“Kongzi-like” …? Waas dat? Once again I plead ignorance, so ….pls ‘splain it to me

Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Inspired move by FSD Pharma – cannabis and heritage!
Looking forward to seeing a fruitful partnership between FSD and Cobourg’s cultural life.
Like Cameco in Port Hope.
And a possible city partnership with a community in China.
Both together will be a new era for Cobourg.
Bring it ON!

cornbread
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Until China cleans up her Human Rights issues, Cobourg should have no dealings with any enterprise or community from this country

Wally Keeler
Reply to  cornbread
5 years ago

Have you lobbied against Canada importing, refining and distributing Saudi oil? Have you lobbied against Canada manufacturing and selling weaponized LAVs to the Saudi family? Have you lobbied against Canada importing, refining and distributing Venezuelan oil, while the people of Venezuela experience a lethally criminal socialist govt without medicine and little food? (And we could replace it with our own oil) Those things are significant, not your petty paranoia about Mr Henderson going all corrupt on us Cobourgers.

What!
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Source countries of imports of crude oil and equivalents to Canada in 2017 were: United States, 61%; Saudi Arabia, 12%; Azerbaijan, 6%; Norway, 5%; Nigeria, 4%.

Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

He who lives in glass house….

manfred s
Reply to  Reed Giroux
5 years ago

…had better not forget their underwear!

manfred s
Reply to  cornbread
5 years ago

perhaps a bit of caution cornbread, it’s a long fall off that very high horse

cornbread
Reply to  manfred s
5 years ago

Thanks for the advice…I stand by me comments…time will tell.
Supplier paid trips help win the “ties”.
Twinning with a city outside of Bejing is a good??? excuse for part of the trip.

Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Good for the detox business, for auto-repair for the high drivers, divorce settlement lawyers for the broken families, hiring more police to deal with drug-induced crime…

Let’s go American and PROFIT off of it!

manfred s
Reply to  Reed Giroux
5 years ago

it seems that the feds have succumbed to the theory ‘ if ya can’t beat ’em, join ’em ‘, the pot dealers, that is. Of course, prohibition was wildly successful in restricting the flow and consumption of alcohol. My thoughts go to the future and what the gov’t would/will do if and when weed becomes as ubiquitous as booze and the people of the realm go looking for something more exciting and satisfying, like the hard stuff making it’s inroads as we babble about weed.

Wally Keeler
5 years ago

The Company is preparing in earnest for sales of our high quality, indoor grown and pharmaceutical grade product, which will be available for sale shortly.”

The dispensary seems destined to be a retail outlet exclusively for their own product. Nothing here to compel someone to break up with their trusted dealer. But I must say that the design of the bldg lends a solid sense of security, vault-like and discreet for purchasers

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Discreet, smishcreet… who cares, stuff will be a legal product in 6 days.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

Silly. For several months Cobourg had a sex shop selling all kinds of legal product, nevertheless, they blocked their windows from the street, and emphasized their back door for those who wanted to discretely purchase their sex toys; likewise the former Certo building. Pot still carries a social stigma that many would prefer to avoid.

Frenchy
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Oh Wally

Rusty Brown
Reply to  Frenchy
5 years ago

I think you mean “discreetly” Wally. That misspelling is typically found only on certain Craigslist postings.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Rusty Brown
5 years ago

You, Frenchy and Walter have become boring grammar nazis. Say something witty or imagine native or what creative idea do you have for the Town?

Walter L. Luedtke
Reply to  Wally Keeler
5 years ago

Bring back poems that rhyme?

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Ok,here’s one. Now back to you — what creative idea do you have for the Town Walter?

My lady will meet me on the pier
her body plunged in shadow.
She’ll give me kisses quick and dear
there below the midnight fresco.

She will greet me with knifing eyes
that cut deep through my emotions
and my hands will gather replies
from her body and its motions.

My lady will meet me on the pier
where waves arrive then are gone.
My lady will make love to me here
before stars surrender to dawn.

Wally Keeler
Reply to  Walter L. Luedtke
5 years ago

Walter, you are a proponent of the marina. Beside the ramp there is a boring wooden pole with signs plastered all over it. Wouldn’t it be sweet if you could convince the marina to get one of their creative personnel to put a cool looking working birdhouse on top of that pole. C’mon Walter, show the creativity.