Imminent outdoor licence 48North believes their outdoor licence is "imminent."
"Health Canada is well aware of our seasonal realities, that we need to get planting," VanderMarel said.
However, unlike greenhouse operations or indoor warehouses, there are concerns that an outdoor crop will be exposed to the elements and the potential impact of pesticides from nearby farms.
"If all goes well, growing outdoors could be a viable business model, but the potential for losing or producing a non-compliant crop is higher than at indoor facilities," said Brenna Boonstra, director, quality and regulatory with consulting firm Cannabis Compliance. "In an outdoor grow, pests are harder to control, light is unpredictable, soil could be contaminated, and weather damage is a real possibility."
VanderMarel said it has approached its neighbouring farmers in Brant County and asked them not grow crops that require pesticides to mitigate the risk.
"We will gladly pay them... just to ensure that we don't have any contamination," she added.
Good Buds co-founder Alex Rumi said it is for this reason that it chose Salt Spring Island, where there are a lot of family farms that do not use pesticides.
"We checked with our neighbours to see how they were cultivating... We're pretty confident that there is a very low risk."
Concerns have also been raised about the negative effects of outdoor cannabis crops on the surrounding community.
Residents in communities with greenhouse operations have complained about the strong odour and light pollution emanating from the facilities.
VanderMarel notes that 48North's site in Brant County was once the site of a large hog operation, which "don't tend to smell nice."
Still, to mitigate this risk the company selected cannabis strains with terpenes that have more of a lavender and citrus odour, she said.
"Our plants do have a scent, especially during the last three to four weeks of flowering," she said. "But it's a short term scent."
Tyler Rumi said this also weighed on their choice of Salt Spring Island for their outdoor operation, where they intend to plant up to 100,000 plants starting in June.
"It has long been a safe haven for cannabis culture," he said. "A lot of people on this island love cannabis, and if they don't, they probably love someone who loves cannabis."