Niagara College’s Commercial Cannabis Production program – one of Canada’s most unique programs and learning environments – will appear on national television this week.

Students and faculty in the program designed to meet the demand for qualified cannabis growers will feature on the CBC comedy show This Hour Has 22 Minutes airing Tuesday, November 16 at 8 p.m. on CBC Television.

Featuring scenes filmed inside the ‘Cannabunker’ – a secure growing and research facility at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake – the segment stars comedian Leonard Chan and marks the third anniversary of cannabis legalization in Canada.

Launched in 2018, NC’s one-year post-graduate Commercial Cannabis Production program was the first of its kind in Canada, training highly skilled professionals in this emerging industry to grow cannabis to Health Canada standards. Students in the program learn about the biological and cultural practices of cannabis production including plant nutrition, environment, lighting, climate control, pest control and cultivar selection. Graduates can go on to work at Licensed Producers in a variety of roles in growing, operations, quality assurance, and more.

Niagara College offers more than 130 diploma, bachelor degree and advanced level programs; as well as more than 600 credit, vocational and general interest Part-Time Studies courses. Areas of specialization include food and wine sciences, advanced technology, media, applied health and community safety, supported by unique learning enterprises in food, wine, beer, distilling, horticulture and esthetics. For more information visit niagaracollege.ca.

Bill_and_Leonard: This Hour Has 22 Minutes host and comedian Leonard Chan (left) and Niagara College’s Bill Macdonald (right), professor and program coordinator in the Commercial Cannabis Production Program inside NC’s licensed ‘Cannabunker’ facility where students learn about growing cannabis according to Health Canada standards.

Behind_The_Scenes: Behind the scenes of the filming of This Hour Has 22 Minutes in Niagara College’s licensed cannabis growing facility the ‘Cannabunker.’ Pictured are CBC cast and crew members alongside NC faculty and students.