MAYOR PUTS POSITIVE SPIN ON 'SUDS TO BUDS' STORY

Barrie's A Great Place To Do Business - And Even The Less-Legitimate
Types Realize It.

After coming to terms with the shock of the size of the marijuana
growing operation in the old Molson Brewery adjacent to Highway 400,
Mayor Rob Hamilton, in a media interview, tried to cast a positive
spin on the publicity that has generated one-liners such as "Come grow
with us," "Barrie, a community in bloom," and "From suds to buds."

"I was shocked that Molson left (in 2000) and we lost 400 jobs and a
good corporate citizen. I'm shocked this operation was going on.
Everyone's shocked at the size," Hamilton said, noting the city had
the national media spotlight on it since the extensive hydroponic
operation was uncovered early Saturday morning. "It's not what
happened but how you react (that's important)," he said. "Even the bad
guys realize Barrie is a great place to do business.

"It has services galore - water, electricity, beside a major highway,
40 minutes north of the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, close to
Pearson airport. That plant is capable of employing people and is
begging for someone to put it to a legitimate use. The publicity is
fabulous. The welcome mat for legitimate business is out."

Molson left town in 2000, and the plant was sold in October, 2001 to
Toronto-based Fercan Developments for $8 million.

At 187,000 square feet, the old brewery sits on almost 36 acres,
severed from an 85-acre parcel that was the old Molson Park.

The building has been mostly full for the better part of the last
year, with tenants that include National Roasters coffee, a
water-bottling operation and a transport company. Some office space
remains vacant.

Fercan's lawyer appealed to council in November 2002 for a tax
reduction, because he believed the assessment was excessive and based
on the larger parcel that included the old Molson Park, but council
denied the request.

Hamilton added Saturday's bust shows local police are among the most
effective - and legitimate businesses can rest assured Barrie's a
great place to be.

"They came up here, broke the law and they got caught," he said. "We
have other buildings in Barrie for sale and that would be great
locations for someone to do business."