Merit Functional Foods Corporation is building a $65-million facility in southern Manitoba to produce both pea and canola protein.

Merit is 40 per cent owned by Vancouver-based Burcon NutraScience Corp. The other 60 per cent will be owned by Shaun Crew, Barry Tomiski and Ryan Bracken, who founded Hemp Oil Canada/Manitoba Harvest. Hemp Oil Canada has a location south of Winnipeg.

The new 65-thousand square foot facility will be built near Winnipeg, although the exact location has not been disclosed.

Between 80 to 85 jobs are expected to be created while requiring approximately 20,000 tons of peas and canola.

First production is expected to come off the plant in August of 2020.

France-based Roquette is building a $400 million pea processing facility near Portage la Prairie.