Large-scale indoor farming takes root in Calgary industrial park

Think of it as a sanctuary for leafy vegetables. That's how GoodLeaf's Barry Murchie describes the company's 100,000-square-foot vertical farm operation that he predicts will eventually produce 900,000 kilograms of veggies a year.

The company's president and CEO says it's one step toward increasing food security, possibly leading to lower prices for home grown food and a smaller carbon footprint compared to veggies that are trucked in from the United States.

"We are creating an alternative, a domestic alternative to deal with Canada's food sovereignty," said Murchie.

"But our intent is to be an option to replace imports and to have as high a per cent as possible of domestically grown produce."

The giant warehouse represents an investment of $50-$60 million, according to Murchie. The Government of Alberta contributed $2.7 million toward the project. 

The baby greens and micro veggies are grown hydroponically in hundreds of trays stacked 12 metres high in a climate controlled environment. 

The irrigated plants are given a carefully timed dose of water to maximize the various stages of growth. The water is drained, filtered and used again. The condensate from all of the humidity is also captured and pumped into the large trays.

Within such a tightly controlled environment, the veggies grow remarkably fast, going from seed to package in two weeks or less, depending on the variety.

The setup is a carefully guarded secret — so much so that Murchie would not allow CBC's cameras to take any pictures inside the growing area.

"We've got an enormous amount of intellectual property in all the foundational elements of our farm and we want to protect that," he said.

It's not the first indoor, vertical farm in Calgary. The city's food action plan supports "a sustainable and resilient food system" to improve access to local and healthy food.

"To promote a more supportive environment for agricultural activities at all scales to happen within our city," said Kristi Peters, Calgary's food system planner.

She says there are about a dozen indoor farms operating in Calgary, but only a few, including GreenLeaf, are large-scale operations.

Some experts believe the large-scale models can be successful when located in close proximity to large centres and are able to sell their goods in major retailers and restaurants.