Fresh, fast, local vegetables – that’s the pitch being made by a group of Creighton residents.
Members of the team spoke during a delegation at the March 28 meeting for Creighton town council, pitching the mayor and councillors on the concept of a Creighton-based greenhouse. The group, called the Greenhouse Initiative Team in the town’s meeting agenda, is looking for seed capital and a formal partnership with the Town of Creighton. In exchange for support, the group hopes to use hydroponic gardening equipment to quickly grow produce in Creighton year-round, supplying stores and restaurants and distributing to community groups. The end goal is for the initiative to create 450 units of vegetables every week, including lettuces, sun flowering plants and bedding plants in summer months.
The Greenhouse Initiative Team presented original market research, compiled by the group in 2017, to council. Citing responses from more than 400 Creighton residents, the group found almost universal approval for local produce – 99 per cent of those polled would buy local produce if it was available, with 93 per cent saying they would prefer locally grown vegetables.
“We have gone to four or five restaurants around town and they are all willing to take part,” said team member Anita Rainville.
“We can locally provide fresh food.”
It’s a sales pitch that has won the ear of Creighton mayor Bruce Fidler, who voiced his support for the idea while stopping short of making a commitment on money or location.
“To tell you the truth, I think this is a great idea. I really do,” he said.
“I would love to see it go.”
One hurdle still needs to be cleared, however – potentially the biggest one.
“What do you need?” asked Fidler. Rainville replied, “A lot.”
Before getting off the ground, the team is looking for almost $200,000 in seed money to cover equipment cost and a lot in Creighton to set up. The sum does not include electricity cost, a computer system used to regulate the plants or costs to purchase property.
Similar greenhouse operations have been started elsewhere in northern Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Creighton council members mentioned similar programs in Stony Rapids, Cumberland House, Churchill and The Pas. The Greenhouse Initiative Team used the programs in The Pas and Churchill as case studies for the potential opening in Creighton.
