CannTrust Receives Green Light From Health Canada for Phase 2 Expansion

VAUGHAN, ON, April 8, 2019 /PRNewswire/ – CannTrust Holdings Inc. (“CannTrust” or the “Company”), (TSX: TRST) (NYSE: CTST) is pleased to announce that its cultivation and processing permit under Health Canada Cannabis Regulations was amended to include the final 20% of its Phase 2 expansion. The entire 450,000 sq. ft. of its perpetual harvest greenhouse in Pelham, Ontario, is now fully licensed.

“We have always been confident that our processes meet and exceed regulatory standards, and we now have further validation of this from our regulators,” said Peter Aceto, Chief Executive Officer. “With this approval, CannTrust is set to meet its plan to reach 50,000kg of annualized capacity at the perpetual harvest greenhouse and continue providing award-winning products in a cost-effective manner.”

CannTrust’s expected production ramp is as follows:

The last 20% of the Phase 2 expansion is expected to be operating at full capacity by the end of Q2 2019.
Pending Health Canada approval, the Company anticipates planting on its previously announced outdoor land acquisition of 81 acres in Q2 2019 and expects to realize a yield of approximately 1,000kg per acre in 2019. Total 2019 production from this harvest is expected to be approximately 75,000kg.
With additional land under letter of intent anticipated to be secured in the near term, the Company’s outdoor cultivation operation is expected to total 100,000kg to 200,000kg of production in the second half of 2020. Production from outdoor cultivation will primarily be used for extraction purposes for products that we anticipate will be permitted based on proposed regulations for additional cannabis products, which include edibles and inhaled extract products.
The Company’s Phase 3 expansion of its perpetual harvest greenhouse is expected to add a further 50,000kg of capacity beginning in the second half of 2020. Phase 3 includes productivity and automation enhancements over Phases 1 and 2. Production from the Phase 3 expansion is also subject to Health Canada approval.
CannTrust’s combined cultivation operations are expected to reach a total annualized capacity of 200,000kg to 300,000kg in the second half of 2020.

About CannTrust

CannTrust is a federally regulated licensed producer of medical and recreational cannabis in Canada, and the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Awards “Top Licensed Producer of the Year”. Founded by pharmacists, CannTrust brings more than 40 years of pharmaceutical and healthcare experience to the medical cannabis industry and serves more than 69,000 medical patients with its dried, extract and capsule products. The Company operates its 450,000 sq. ft. Niagara Perpetual Harvest Facility in Pelham, Ontario, has been permitted to construct another 390,000 sq. ft. facility in Pelham, and prepares and packages its product portfolio at its 60,000 sq. ft. manufacturing centre of excellence in Vaughan, Ontario. The Company has also purchased 81 acres of land in British Columbia and expects to secure over 200 acres of land in total for low-cost outdoor cultivation which it will use for its extraction-based products.

CannTrust is developing nanotechnology for new products in the medical, recreational, beauty, wellness and pet markets. The Company has established its international footprint through strategic partnerships with Cannatrek Ltd. in Australia and STENOCARE in Denmark. The Company has also partnered with Breakthru Beverage Group through Kindred Canada, for recreational distribution in Canada. CannTrust is committed to research and innovation through partnerships with McMaster University in Ontario and Gold Coast University in Australia, which were designed to contribute to the growing body of evidence-based research regarding the use and efficacy of cannabis.

For more information, please visit www.canntrust.ca.

Source: CannTrust Holdings Inc.

Original press release

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