Some residents of the small northern B.C. town of Topley are up in arms over a proposed licensed medical marijuana grow operation at the site of a former elementary school.

K Town Medical Growers is poised to buy the shuttered 15,000-square-foot school on the Yellowhead Highway, and transform it into a commercial marijuana production facility that its owner hopes will produce up to 8,000 kilograms of medicinal pot per year and provide jobs for as many as 150 people in the region.

News that the old school might be turned into a pot production facility has ignited strong opinions among the few hundred residents of Topley.

Its a big-time subject. Its the only thing the town is talking about lately, said resident Wendy Townsend, who is organizing a public meeting at the community hall on March 17.

Townsend, who is adopting a neutral stance, said shes heard from many people who are against the project.

Some are worried about odors and the potential for crime. Many still hold the school in affection, even though its been standing empty since 2010.

Theyre emotionally attached to the school, said Townsend. Its been the centre of our community. Theres still kids that play in the schoolyard.

However, others may also welcome the economic boom the facility could bring to the region, which is dominated by the forestry and mining industries in Burns Lake and Houston, said Townsend.

Many residents have questions they need answered before they can make up their minds, she added. A lot of residents have no understanding whatsoever of marijuana except for what they read and see in the news.

K Towns owner, Alexander Mark Roberts, already operates a small licensed medical marijuana facility in town, but wants to expand.

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Debate rages in tiny B.C. town over turning former grade school into medical marijuana factory