Follow up to yesterday. https://allthingsunionbay.com/2025/02/14/look-at-this-guy-promoting-deep-water-recovery-ship-breaking-hes-a-gaduate/. Thanks to the landowners who sent me the info yesterday and today along with a chuckle. One of them commented on the video, they think they saw Jurisich’s hand up his back while he was talking. 🙂
NOTE: I have edited out the first proposal to concentrate on the Mike Butler portion – Funky Banana Farm. To view entire article, click on the link. https://secondopinionqb.ca/public-calls-out-dodgy-industrial-proposals-promoted-by-town/
Someone should ask Mike if he knows he’s dealing with a foreign thug/robber and a foreign convicted felon of $100 million lottery scam targeting seniors.
Public calls out dodgy industrial proposals promoted by Town
Readers may be discouraged by this apparent gong show, especially when they take a close look, with a critical eye, at each of the two proposals. It’s rather obvious that somebody is getting played here. Too much pretense; too little transparency. But there is a silver lining. The meeting demonstrated both the necessity and the value of early, informed broad public participation in evaluating the appropriateness and viability of any proposed use or disposition of Town-owned lands.
Funky Banana Farm
Promoters Mike Butler and Alana Barager attended the COW meeting, representing FunkyBananaFarm.com, “a vertical and farm tourism company,” whatever that means. Based on their scant written submission to the Town, it is not clear where the company is registered, or who its owners, backers and investors might be. Their proposal is to lease-to-own seven (7) acres of Town-owned property in the Agricultural Land Reserve on the north side of the old dump / sandpit.
2021-12-09 COW agenda – Funky Banana FarmDownload
The sum total of the “business model” presented to us by Butler and Baraga was “point of sale, online and commercial sales getting 2% of the Market.” What exactly this “Market” is they do not specify, but the target North America Market is “579M.”
A business model has to communicate how you plan to make a profit. Butler and Baraga have not done that. The Funky Banana Farm company says it “will plant an outdoor Orchid [we think they mean Orchard] and build 6,000 sq feet of indoor growing space on the property.” Apparently they already have 4,000 trees ready to transfer to the site. And, they have “consulted on loans available” (a cleverly worded statement that could mean anything — including that they have been flatly rejected).
The promoters are strong on imagery (as in, playing to the readers’ imagination), but not spelling. For example, the “backard” [sic] of this video title.
The Funky Banana Farm proposal is also strong on unsubstantiated association. For example, a photo they included with their submission appears to have been taken inside the Muttart Conservatory, a botanical garden built in 1976 in Edmonton, Alberta where, until recently, Butler and Barager lived, working as “Principles [sic] at the Optimus Group.” There is no indication that Butler or the Optimus Group had anything to do with the creation of the Muttart or its recent renovations. Or consider, “our long term model for the site will include an outdoor spa model similar to Scandia spa,” whatever or wherever that is, they don’t explain.
Do the proponents have any experience in ventures such as they propose? “We have started a pilot project in Fort Saskatchewan… to prove the indoor vertical farming model.” They provide no evidence of just how far along this project has gone, or not. Maybe it’s still just a concept. What exactly does starting a pilot project mean? A couple of sketches on a cocktail napkin last night could be the start of a pilot project.
The Funky Banana Farm company’s website proclaims that “Vertical Farming Is The Future,” but as Councillor Westbroek mentioned at the COW meeting, clicking on the website’s Find Out More button led to… nothing.
Let’s add up the pieces here. Assuming all uses would be authorized by the Agricultural Land Commission we’ve got: an outdoor tree nursery, indoor plant nursery, orchard, winery, spa pools and deck, sauna, café. Also, don’t miss that “the main building will be used for plant propagation and sales and a second story [sic] built for residential purpose.” [emphasis added]
Paying attention to the final line, “all timeline plans are subject to change and could be implemented sooner or later than expected,” are the plans or the timeline “subject to change” or both? Can’t tell from the loosey-goosey language in this proposal.
Nearby resident Lorrie Mohl asked about water required at the property, if they would be linked to the Town water supply and, if so, via what route. Mayor Wiese suggested they would be attached to the Town’s planned water loop along Rupert Road, but he was scarce with details.
Promoter Mike Butler said they didn’t need any Town water to get started, musing that “we’re looking at turning part of the land into a natural water [rain] catchment pond … to water our plants” and maybe a giant dehumidifier to “pull water out of the air” for potable drinking water.
Another nearby resident, Deb McKinley, asked for estimated costs for both water and sewage connections to the property. Town staff did not provide even rough estimates, nor was it apparent that the Town had even discussed these potential leasehold improvement costs with the project promoters. Councillor Harrison admitted they didn’t know what it would cost to extend water and sewer service to the property.
Promoter Mike Butler said they didn’t need any Town water to get started, musing that “we’re looking at turning part of the land into a natural water [rain] catchment pond … to water our plants” and maybe a giant dehumidifier to “pull water out of the air” for potable drinking water.
Lorrie Mohl posed an important question to the project promoters: “Are you still keen if the proposed wood factory is your neighbour?” Mayor Wiese interjected, saying “I’m not sure we should be asking Mike and Alana [the Banana Farm promoters] that question.” He gave no reason why not, and the promoters chose not to answer the question.
Fleming-Smith suggested that the glulam factory would not be a compatible neighbour for the agrarian character of the Funky Banana Farm. He also commented on the “wildly optimistic” timeline submitted by the promoters.
Related to timelines, Fleming-Smith posed these questions: “To what degree is a tight timeline going to actually move either of these proposals along? Is it wise to even accede to an applicant who says they have a particularly tight timeline?”
The COW meeting ended with Councillor Harrison still trying to argue that the PNP scrutiny was sufficient due diligence to greenlight the Perrier / Chaboud proposal, and that we need to rush the rezoning to comply with a timeline, supposedly imposed by PNP, that the proposed mill be operational within 18 months. Harrison also raised the bogeyman of potential Town liability for any delay.
Readers may be discouraged by this apparent gong show, especially when they take a close look, with a critical eye, at each of the two proposals. It’s rather obvious that somebody is getting played here. Too much pretense; too little transparency. But there is a silver lining. The meeting demonstrated both the necessity and the value of early, informed broad public participation in evaluating the appropriateness and viability of any proposed use or disposition of Town-owned lands.
allthingsunionbay 