Canada’s biggest marijuana company continues to bring new life to Smiths Falls with its Tweed facility.

Tweed, owned by Canopy Growth Co., moved into the old Hershey Plant on 1 Hershey Drive.

The warehouse had previously been empty since Hershey moved out years ago. Hundreds of jobs were eliminated when the chocolate giant left.

When Tweed took over, the company started with a few employees.

Today they have 500 at this site alone.

Jordan Sinclair, the company’s communications manager, says they expect to have 1000 employees in Smiths Falls by next year.

“We’ve got operations all over Canada and all over the world but this is the principal hub of operations,” Sinclair said.

On top of creating jobs at the plant, the Mayor says it has opened opportunities throughout the community.

“We are seeing an economic revival like we’ve never seen before,” said Mayor Shawn Pankow.

Pankow says the housing market is hot, and restaurants and businesses are flourishing.

Sinclair says the community took a chance on Tweed when marijuana was less of a hot topic – thanking Smiths Falls for that.

Pankow says Tweed has provided more jobs than Hershey’s did. He says the commitment has paid off ten-fold.