Are Canadians consuming less weed?
After four years of growth, Canadian cannabis use declined in 2023. Sales are cooling off and daily or near-daily use is down. Tobacco and heavy…
Mother Labs to bring branded cannabis to German market
A German pharmaceutical company says it will be partnering with Canadian cannabis nursery Mother Labs to bring a line of branded cannabis flower to the…
Aurora and UBC partner on research to breed fruity-smelling cannabis
The University of British Columbia (UBC) has received a grant to help improve the breeding of more fruity-smelling cannabis.
Police in Edmonton want help identifying man in fake beard robbing cannabis stores
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a suspect who robbed two South Edmonton cannabis stores in the course of…
Report calls for more cohesion, public health focus to US cannabis laws
A new report from researchers in the US is calling on that country’s federal government to take the lead in more strictly regulating cannabis with…
Manitobans may finally be able to grow cannabis at home in 2025
Manitobans may finally be able to grow cannabis at home beginning in 2025, according to a new announcement from the provincial government.
Cannabis is no longer an election issue
Cannabis has lost its status as a major election issue. As the next federal election approaches, industry needs to re-engage the public and politicians to…
Cannabis sales continue to show signs of levelling off in Canada
The population of those over 18 in Canada who reported using cannabis in the past 12 months and those who reported that they had used…
Canadian Cannabis Leadership Summit 2024 in Ottawa
The Cannabis Council of Canada (C3) is hosting its Canadian Cannabis Leadership Summit 2024 in Ottawa on Tuesday, October 1.
Arbitrator rules cannabis detection was not impairment
A federal arbitrator recently ruled that a train engineer who was found to have had cannabis in his system did not need to face penalties…
Aurora Cannabis receives patent related to autoflower cannabis
Following years of research, Aurora Cannabis received a patent that allows the company to better identify and select for autoflowering traits in cannabis plants.
Personal and designated medical registrations increase in early 2024 following years of declines
The number of people registering to access medical cannabis in Canada continues to decline, according to Health Canada’s most recent quarterly report. Those registering for…
Health Canada cannabis inspections: 2023-2024
Health Canada conducted a total of 662 inspections of cannabis licence holders in the year ending March 31, 2024, including 160 inspections of registered personal…
Unpackaged inventory of dried cannabis continued to decline in the first four months of 2024
The Government of Canada recently released newly updated sales and inventory figures for the cannabis industry, highlighting changing trends as the industry continues to mature….
New cannabis distribution warehouse coming to NWT
The population of those over 18 in Canada who reported using cannabis in the past 12 months and those who reported that they had used…
Cannabis farmgate in Canada: From farm to joint
While there are several thousand cannabis stores in Canada, consumers can purchase cannabis directly from the grower at just a handful of locations.
Four arrests in connection with cannabis store break-ins in Toronto and Durham Region
Toronto Police say they have made four arrests in connection with a series of break-ins of cannabis, electronics, and cellular phone stores in the Toronto…
Community Savings and We Can Capital expand factoring program
A BC-based credit union that has partnered with a BC financing agency to provide invoice factoring to BC cannabis producers says they have already provided…
Rifflandia’s “Splifflandia” to include official cannabis consumption space this year
BC Cannabis retailers Seed & Stone and Songhees Cannabis are providing the cannabis space at Victoria’s Rifflandia this year, at the Matullia Lands in Rock…
Safari Flower successfully exits creditor protection
Although entering into creditor protection can sometimes mean the end of the road for a business, one cannabis company used the process to successfully restructure…
SQDC sold $162.9 million worth of cannabis in Q1 2024-2025
In the first quarter of its 2024-2025 reporting period, the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) brought in $23.9 million in net sales from $162.9 million…
Surrey wants cannabis store applications by September 17
Those interested in opening a cannabis store in Surrey, BC, have until Tuesday, September 17, to send in their application.
Cannabis sales increased in BC in 2023-2024
The BCLDB sold 135,348 grams of cannabis in the year ended March 31, 2024, a 27% increase from the previous year.
SNDL announces successful bid to purchase Indiva
SNDL Inc. has announced that its stalking horse bid has been chosen as the successful bid to acquire Indiva’s business and assets.
New Brunswick’s Crystal Cure to close up shop in hopes of a future reset
Crystal Cure Inc., a micro cannabis producer in Shediac Cape, New Brunswick, says it will cease its cannabis operations at the end of September, primarily…
SQDC opens new store outside Montreal with new product array
This week, the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) opened its 100th cannabis store, in a suburb just outside Montreal.
Week in Weed – August 24, 2024
StratCann’s weekly round-up of cannabis industry news for the week ending August 24, 2024.
OCS launches more detailed sales metrics for producers
Following an announcement in June, the OCS now confirms that starting August 23, it will begin providing more detailed wholesale metrics to cannabis producers.
Retail cannabis sales continue to cool off in Canada
Retail cannabis sales continued to cool off in Canada, with sales in April hitting a year-over-year low, with $518 million in sales compared to $525…
Edmonton Fringe Fest gets cannabis consumption space
An Edmonton festival welcomed its first official cannabis consumption space at this year’s Edmonton Fringe Festival from August 15-25th.
OPP raid two Indigenous-owned cannabis stores in London
Police in London, Ontario, closed at least two Indigenous-owned cannabis stores on August 21 as part of an enforcement action. Ontario Provincial Police say they…
Cannabis sales continue to increase in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia brought in $31.2 million in cannabis sales in the three months ended June 30, 2024, a 7.3% increase compared to the previous year…
Cannabis sales stay strong in New Brunswick
Cannabis sales bounced back in New Brunswick in the three months that ended June 30, 2024, following seasonal declines in the previous quarter from January…
Wholesale cannabis sales increase in BC while prices decline
LDG’s quarterly report indicates the amount of cannabis sold in BC continues to increase while the price continues to decrease.
Canada’s wholesale cannabis market shifting from buyers’ to sellers’
While the beginning of cannabis legalization in Canada was characterized by a surplus of product, many in the industry now say that trend has been…
Arrests, cannabis and tobacco seized in several raids in Moncton area
Department of Justice and Public Safety peace officers in New Brunswick conducted several raids at two Indigenous owned cannabis stores in the Moncton area.
Paradise Valley Botanics draws on decades of experience
Adam Mint of Paradise Valley Botanics wants to see the cannabis growers of the Kootenays to showcase decades of experience growing craft cannabis to the…
US governor blames legalization efforts in Florida on Canada
Florida Governor and failed US Presidential candidate Ron DeSantis recently lashed out at US cannabis MSO TruLieve, calling them a “Canadian company.”
Behind the recent “intoxicating cannabinoid” product recall
The company behind a recent recall of cannabis oils due to the “presumed presence” of HHC says they had no knowledge about or intention of…
Ontario needs coordinated approach to deal with growing number of unlicensed cannabis stores
Cannabis retailers in Toronto want to know what the city is going to do about a growing number of unlicensed cannabis stores.
Cannabis sales rebound in April/May following post-holiday declines
Retail cannabis sales continued to rebound in May following declines from a peak last summer.
Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club receives $3.2 million fine from BC gov
The Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club, an unlicensed medical cannabis dispensary that has been operating in Victoria since the 1990s, has been issued a $3.2 million…
Delta 9’s monitor files sale and investment process notice
Following Delta 9 Cannabis’s recent CCAA filing, the court-appointed Monitor has begun an investment process seeking interest in, and opportunities for, a sale of, or…
OCRC gets new board chair
OCS Board Chair Connie Dejak has resigned, ending her three-year term early. Former Toronto City Councillor Gary Crawford replaces her.
Health Canada plans to share document about health products containing CBD this fall
Health Canada plans to share a policy consultation document about health products containing cannabidiol (CBD) this fall.
Uber Eats and Leafly announce cannabis “delivery” expanding to Alberta
Uber Eats, in partnership with Leafly, announced that it would begin accepting orders from licensed AB cannabis stores at the end of July.
Changes coming to Canada’s largest cannabis market
The Ontario Cannabis Store is planning to begin reducing the number of products it carries in its warehouse by several thousand in the coming year…
CBSA seizes 140 pounds of cannabis at Halifax Stanfield International Airport
Border officers at Halifax Stanfield International Airport say they seized 140 pounds of suspected cannabis on Monday, July 22, in luggage destined for the UK.
Judge gives psilocybin store employee 60-day conditional sentence, calls for courts to emphasize deterrence and denunciation
A judge in Ontario issued a 60-day conditional sentence order, to be followed by a year of probation and 100 hours of community service, to…
Cannabis industry, Global Affairs Canada disappointed with Israel’s preliminary report
Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Cannabis Council say they are dismayed by the recent preliminary decision from the Israeli government to consider imposing import…
New federal cannabis licences continue to slow, micros take top spot
Micro cannabis licences were Canada’s most commonly-applied licence type, according to new figures from the agency.
Cannabis farmgate store in Victoria moves one step closer to reality
Victoria City Council has voted to support the application from the Victoria Cannabis Company (VCC) cannabis farmgate store at 340 Mary Street, in Victoria West.
Federal government responds to edibles petition
The population of those over 18 in Canada who reported using cannabis in the past 12 months and those who reported that they had used…
Alberta and BC reach agreement over wine sales. Cool, now do cannabis
BC and AB now allow BC wineries to ship directly to Alberta consumers, benefiting winemakers after severe crop damage. This move highlights the disparity in…
Adverse reports associated with cannabis declined for third year in a row
The number of reports received by Health Canada of adverse reactions associated with cannabis has declined for the third year in a row.
BC provides updates to cannabis sampling rules
BC’s cannabis branch has provided updates on its cannabis sampling rules for cannabis marketing licensees.
Large increase in volume of medical cannabis products supplied in New Zealand
A new quarterly report from the New Zealand Ministry of Health shows a significant uptick in the volume of cannabis products supplied for medical purposes…
Red Deer RCMP recover $19,000 worth of stolen cannabis
RCMP in Red Deer, Alberta, say they recovered some $19,000 worth of stolen cannabis, along with firearms, ammunition, and other stolen property, while executing a…
Preliminary report: Israel might apply import fees on Canadian cannabis
The Israeli Government has issued a preliminary decision on accusations that Canadian cannabis companies are dumping low-cost products in Israel’s medical cannabis market.
OCS shortens payment processing timelines for Flow-Through products
The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) is reducing its payment processing timelines for products sold through its Flow-Through ordering program.
Expanding micro processing can benefit all micros
While some micro cultivators see little need for an expanded canopy, some micro processor believe the changes could benefit smaller craft producers.
Cannabis consumption space at Calgary music festival grows into its third year
Chinook Cannabis is hosting its third cannabis consumption space at the Badlands Music Festival, July 4-14, 2024.
Five private cannabis distributors now fully licensed by Manitoba’s LGCA
Manitoba has several private cannabis distributors now available for producers selling into the market and looking for an alternative to direct-to-retail shipping or cross-docking.
MediPharm to close Canna Farms facility, move medical sales to Ontario
Long-time BC cannabis producer Canna Farms is closing shop as its parent company shifts its medical platform to its Ontario facility.
Cannabis-related complaints to Ontario’s Ombudsman lowest since legalization
Ontario’s Ombudsman reports a near-record number of complaints in its recent 2023-2024 report, but a record-low amount of issues related to the province’s cannabis industry.
Australia’s cannabis regulator has issued more than $600,000 in fines
Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has issued 35 infringement notices for the alleged unlawful advertising of medicinal cannabis on their websites and social media platforms.
Manitoba announces new cannabis product freshness criteria
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries announced new “product freshness criteria” effective July 15 to ensure fresher cannabis, including flower, edibles, extracts, and topicals.
Micros question proposed increase in canopy space
Health Canada recently proposed numerous changes to the federal cannabis regulations, including increasing capacity for micro cannabis cultivators and processors, as well as cannabis nurseries.
Nova Scotia sold $121 million worth of cannabis in 2023
The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) released their most recent year-end financial report on June 25 covering April 1, 2023-March 31, 2024.
OCS plans to provide sales data to producers
The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) says it plans to begin providing cannabis producers with more specific cannabis sales data, including access to store-specific information.
“Indige-Smoke” re-opens in Ontario, but without cannabis—for now
A chain of Indigenous-branded retail stores in Ontario that police have targeted in two series of raids for operating without a licence has re-opened—but without…
Ninth private retail store coming to New Brunswick
Retail Chain Cannabis Xpress says it plans to open its third store in New Brunswick soon, the first cannabis store in the small town of…
Vancouver VR company teams up with local retailer to create virtual cannabis store
ARCannabis, a cannabis retailer is partnering with a Vancouver-based Web3 company to develop a virtual cannabis store experience.
Retail cannabis sales year-over-year growth continues to slow, retail stores decrease
Retail cannabis sales rebounded in February and April after dropping to their lowest in nearly a year in January 2024, according to the most recent…
Atlas Global Brands granted CCAA protection
Atlas Global Brands, the company behind cannabis brands like D*gg Lbs, GreenSeal and Electric Lettuce, along with its subsidiaries, have been granted an initial order…
New cannabis patio opens in Mission, BC
Cheeky’s Cannabis store in BC is taking a second swing at hosting a cannabis-friendly patio space, this time in Mission.
Nova Scotia court rejects First Nations cannabis sovereignty argument
A Nova Scotia court has rejected a claim that the members of a First Nation can operate cannabis stores outside of provincial and federal cannabis…
Manitobans still waiting for right to grow cannabis at home
Although Manitoba recently passed legislation to allow people to grow cannabis at home, they could be waiting several months before the law actually comes into…
Study finds inaccurate labelling on some cannabis oils in Ontario
A study from researchers in Ontario says that some cannabis oils on the market in Canada are inaccurately labelled for THC and CBD.
Health Canada proposes numerous, significant regulatory changes
Health Canada released numerous proposed regulatory changes to the federal cannabis rules and regulations on June 7, as part of a 30-day consultation process ending…
Legacy Supply Chain’s new processing licence expands service capability in Ontario
Legacy Supply Chain, connected to OCS’s distribution warehouse ,recently received a federal cannabis processing licence.
Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke shares feedback on new cannabis regulations
The Kahnawà:ke Legislative Commission in Quebec released a report on its Cannabis Control Law draft Regulation Concerning Suppliers, and Regulations concerning alternate Board Members Feedback.
The SQDC contributed $258.8 million to Quebec in 2023
The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) reports $662.1 million in sales for the fiscal year ending March 30, 2024, with a net income of $104.1…
Conservative MP says he would vote to recriminalize cannabis if given a chance
In a recent interview on a podcast, Alberta MP Arnold Viersen told host and Liberal MP Nate Erskine-Smith that he would vote for a bill…
Health Canada issues recall for cannabis products containing undeclared intoxicating cannabinoid
An Alberta-based cannabis company has recalled several cannabis oil and softgels due to the “presumed presence” of hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), considered by Health Canada to be…
Manitoba passes legislation to allow growing cannabis at home
Bill 34, The Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Amendment Act, which repealed Manitoba’s ban on growing up to four cannabis plants at home, passed on…
Alberta now allowing private label cannabis products
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) announced on May 31 that it will now allow private label cannabis products, effective immediately.
Study finds driving impairment was not correlated with blood THC
A recent study in Ontario looking at the effects of edible cannabis on simulated driving and blood THC levels found that driving impairment was not…
More budtenders joining unions in Canada
A “green wave” of cannabis store employees has been joining a union representing more than 40,000 workers across multiple sectors in Ontario.
Second cannabis store opens in Nunavut
A second cannabis store opened in Iqaluit, Nunavut, in April, to help serve the Territory’s population of around 33,000 people.