Conservative policy proposal to abolish medical cannabis tax moves step closer to party policy
The proposal calls on the Conservative Party of Canada to adopt a policy that will “abolish the excise tax on medical cannabis, fostering compassionate patient…
Week in Weed – September 2, 2023
StratCann’s weekly round-up of news headlines in the cannabis industry for the week ending September 2, 2023.
Vancouver cannabis store avoids penalties after employee sells cannabis to minor
Eggs Canna, a cannabis retailer in BC, has avoided penalties after an employee sold edibles to a minor in a sting operation.
Atlantic Cultivation purchases Tantalus brand, products
Atlantic Cultivation, a cannabis producer that also operates retail stores in Newfoundland, recently completed a purchase of cannabis from BC’s Tantalus Labs.
Week in Weed – August 26, 2023
StratCann’s weekly round-up of news headlines in the cannabis industry for the week ending August 26, 2023.
Pesticide use widespread in the illicit market, while legal market cleans up its act
Researchers at Health Canada’s pesticide lab with the Regulatory Operations and Enforcement Branch conducted a study that took samples of dried cannabis flower from the…
Regulatory fees, paperwork, security requirements more challenging for small producers
A new review of Health Canada’s cost recovery program for cannabis licence holders found the health agency recovered less than half of the cost of…
AGLC says CBN policy based on federal guidelines, while Health Canada, provinces say otherwise
Alberta’s AGLC maintains it has considered CBN within the THC limits on cannabis products based on Health Canada guida, four other provincial cannabis agencies say…
Week in Weed – August 19, 2023
StratCann’s weekly round-up of news headlines in the cannabis industry for the week ending August 19, 2023.
Two BC cannabis companies in conflict over payment
Two BC cannabis companies are at odds over payment for a large quantity of cannabis, according to two filings in BC court this past week.
AGLC delisting some cannabis products that contain CBN
A cannabis producer says they were recently told their product would no longer be sold in Alberta due to them containing too much CBN.
ShuCanna receives cannabis farmgate store in Salmon Arm
ShuCanna Growers, a micro cultivator and processor located on the Trans Canada Highway on the outskirts of Salmon Arm, recently received their Production Retail Store…
Legal medical cannabis lowers individual market health insurance premiums in US
Recent US research reveals that legalizing medical cannabis significantly reduces health insurance premiums, saving approximately $16 billion annually.
Week in Weed – August 12, 2023
The weekly round-up of news headlines in the cannabis industry for the week ending August 11, 2023.
Some Winnipeg cannabis retailers concerned with province allowing sales in gas stations
Some retailers in Winnipeg say they are frustrated by the province issuing a retail cannabis licence to a gas station/convenience store, something they worry could…
Changes to OCS privacy policy could mean customer data stored outside of Canada
The Ontario Cannabis Store is making a change to its privacy policy that could potentially result in customers’ personal information being stored outside of Canada.
BC gov reviewing cannabis sampling rules for producers, retailers
The BC government is reviewing its rules about cannabis sampling between producers and retailer stores, which some provinces already allow.
AGCO, OCS rolling out new POS data platform
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) have developed a new data platform to help simplify retailers’ cannabis…
Conservative Party policy proposal calls to abolish medical cannabis tax
The head of a regional Conservative electoral district association in New Brunswick has put forward a policy proposal to abolish excise tax on medical cannabis.
Alberta to consider white label cannabis products
Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), Alberta’s cannabis regulator, is exploring the possibility of allowing white-label cannabis products in the province.
Metro Vancouver rethinking regulation of cannabis VOCs
Metro Vancouver’s Regional Board (MVRD) of Directors says they want to collaborate with other provincial agencies on any potential regulation of cannabis farm emissions rather…
Vancouver’s High Hopes launches cannabis substitution project
High Hopes Foundation in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside exploring cannabis as a substitute for several alcohol dependence.
Media continues to misreport issues of edibles, kids, and hospitalizations
While media reports on hospitalizations of young people due to ingesting cannabis edibles, a recent study confirms that the source of these products is unclear.
Surrey city council votes to refer report on cannabis back to city staff
Surrey city council has voted to send a report on cannabis retail stores back to city staff to be retooled before it will be considered.
Surrey City Council to consider framework to approve cannabis stores
City Council in Surrey BC, is developing a plan to potentially consider cannabis retail store applications.
Manitoba taking steps to mitigate strike’s impact on cannabis sales
Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries says that while it is “severely impacted” by the MGEU strike action, it has developed a contingency plan in advance to…
Alberta government selling off giant donair costume meant to draw attention to cannabis-impaired driving
The Alberta government is auctioning off a donair costume the government purchased in 2015 for use in a traffic safety video campaign.
Team fighting Manitoba’s home grow ban are back in court in September
The group challenging Manitoba’s ban on home-grown cannabis will head back to court in September to make new arguments for why the provincial ban is…
OCS DC now accepting deliveries from smaller vehicles
As of July 17, the OCS Distribution Centre (DC) will accept deliveries from sprinter vans carrying up to 260 master cases per delivery and “alternative…
First Nations community near Regina opens “sovereign” cannabis store
One First Nations community in Saskatchewan recently opened retail store Miyo Askiy Cannabis Co. under their own local regulations.
Pitt Meadows, BC now accepting retail cannabis applications on a case-by-case basis
Pitt Meadows in BC, which had previously banned cannabis stores, has now passed Seed & Stone application at third reading by city council.
BC cannabis producer loses 120 kg of cannabis in early morning burglary
BC producer Pistol and Paris, located in Agassiz, was robbed early this morning with several men in a truck getting away with 120kg of cannabis.
BC asking for feedback on changes to where people can consume cannabis
The BC Government planning several changes to provincial cannabis rules, aiming to assist the cannabis industry and cannabis tourism in BC.
Kush Mountain Craft Cannabis takes the slow road to quality weed
Kush Mountain Craft Cannabis, a micro cultivator and processor, is taking the slow road to quality weed.
Organigram blames lower sales on THC inflation and no longer being able to sell “ingestible extracts”
New Brunswick-based cannabis producer Organigram says its net revenue and margins decreased in the third quarter of 2023 due to the declining price of cannabis…
Ontario Cannabis Store launches cannabis awareness campaign
The Cannabis Made Clear campaign is part of the OCS’s mandate to promote responsible consumption of cannabis, and includes marketing campaigns across the province.
Metro Van continues to call for regulation of cannabis farm emissions
The revisions, presented in a staff report on July 6, include allowing for more flexibility for the type of required emission control technology in cannabis…
Australian cannabis legalization bill could be tabled as early as August: Senator
Australian Greens Senator David Shoebridge has been leading the charge for legalization Down Under, and hopes to table new legislation in August in federal parliament.
A BC cannabis producer wants people to know he’s not part of the government
A producer in BC, BC Cannabis Inc., is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government.
Lit Research provides space for sensory testing of cannabis products in downtown Toronto
Launched in the fall of 2022, Lit Research bills itself as a hub for the cannabis community, helping cannabis producers and brands to provide a…
Court finds Yukon man guilty following 2020 recall of cannabis-infused jerky that led to several hospitalizations
Two and a half years after Yukon issued a recall of jerky due to possible contamination with THC, one man has been found guilty of…
Week in weed – June 24, 2023
Our weekly round-up of news headlines in the cannabis industry for the week ending June 24, 2023.
Ontario, BC, helps drive cannabis sales in April as overall market growth slows
Ontario and British Columbia, along with Alberta and Saskatchewan, helped drive retail cannabis sales up by just over 1 percent in April compared to March.
Ontario looking at cannabis marketing rules and window covering requirements for cannabis stores
Ontario’s cannabis regulator is launching a consultation on the topics of window coverings on cannabis stores and advertising and promotion.
New cannabis licence applications continue to come in, even as revocations increase
Micro cannabis licences continue to grow in popularity in Canada, with almost 42 percent of all licences micros as of March 31, 2023. Just over…
Pineapple Express ends deliveries following Fire & Flower filing for creditors’ protection
Pineapple Express Delivery, a cannabis delivery company operating in several provinces, closed up shop in the wake of its parent company, Fire & Flower, filed…
More than 100 budtenders in Manitoba accept their first collective agreement
Employees at a Manitoba chain of stores have signed a collective agreement with UCFW, concerns with safety, rates of pay and unfair penalties.
Senate Committee on Indigenous Peoples calls for jurisdiction over cannabis possession, sale, distribution in Canada
A policy proposal to abolish tax on cannabis for medical purposes is now one step closer to having a chance to be part of the…
Illicit cannabis website in PEI leads to conditional sentences for two
Two Ontario men operating an illegal cannabis website in PEI received conditional sentences from a Supreme Court Justice in PEI.
New Brunswick’s sixth cannabis farmgate set to open soon
New Brunswick’s sixth cannabis farmgate store, Greenherb Farms is opening June 23, located about 45 minutes outside of Moncton.
Cannabis recalled for labelling error, THC higher than on package
The two lots of dried cannabis from Aarons BCBud—Lindsay OG and Island MKU—were recalled due to labelling errors.
New Brunswick’s first private cannabis store to open June 14
Cannabis Xpress, located in Grand Bay-Westfield, a town of about 5,000 located 15 minutes outside of Saint John, is the first of up to ten…
Cannabis sales in Quebec plateauing, as SQDC continues to focus on enhancing consumer experience
Jacques Farcy, President and of CEO the SQDC, the agency needs to continue improving customer experiences in order to expand its reach into the illicit…
SLGA makes several changes to retail cannabis rules
Beginning June 5, all cannabis retail stores in Saskatchewan are no longer required to ask for proof of age on every retail transaction for in-store…
Cannabis sales continue to grow, even as canopy space and number of employees begin to decline
Canada’s cannabis industry sees increase in sales despite decrease in production space and number of employees.
Mississauga’s first cannabis stores beginning to open
Residents of Mississauga no longer need to drive outside of the city to visit a cannabis store.
BC’s cannabis Direct Delivery program is growing, but fees still too high
BC’s direct delivery program for small-scale cannabis producers is beginning to mature but still receives mixed reports from the local industry.
NB Munis want to know where their share of cannabis tax revenues went
The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB), as well as the Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick (AFMNB) say they want to know where their…
BC repealing visibility requirements for cannabis stores
The BC Government announced today that their provincial cannabis regulations will no longer require that cannabis, cannabis accessories, or their packaging and labelling within the…
Manitoba suspends Social Responsibility Fee, expects passage of new legislation soon
In a bulletin sent to cannabis retailers on May 18, Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL), the agency that oversees cannabis in the province, says they…
Cannabis sales continue to increase in BC as prices fall
Cannabis sales in BC continued to increase in the first three months of 2023, while the price of cannabis continues to drop in the province.
Manitoba expected to return millions to cannabis retailers
In response to industry concerns, the Manitoba government will be extending a rebate on their Social Responsibility Fee paid by cannabis stores since 2022, according…
Manitoba cannabis stores say they need their money back
Several cannabis retailers are telling the Manitoba provincial government that they support its efforts to repeal a six percent fee charged to stores, but say…
Canadian cannabis producers say the process to vet new products needs an overhaul
Cannabis producers in Canada say the process to notify Health Canada of new products needs a significant overhaul.
Manitoba NDP wants to know where the cannabis revenues went
The Manitoba NDP’s Finance Critic wants to know where the province has spent the money received from legalization. The province says it intends to sign…
BC announces more changes for cannabis retailers
The provincial government says they will be looking into lifting the cap on how many stores one company can own, currently limited to eight locations,…
Organigram asks court to overrule Health Canada on edibles extract restrictions
NB producer Organigram has filed for a judicial review of Health Canada’s recent decision to require an end to sales of “edible extracts” that exceed…
UBC researcher identifies new kind of root rot affecting cannabis plants
Researchers at UBC Okanagan (UBCO) recently identified a new type of disease affecting the roots of cannabis plants, fungal pathogen Berkeleyomyces rouxiae, commonly known as…
BC announces funding to support Indigenous cannabis businesses
The provincial government announced nearly $2.3 million in additional funding for the New Relationship Trust which oversees the ICBF. This funding is on top of…
New compliance and enforcement report highlights return of in-person inspections
Health Canada has released their newest compliance and enforcement report covering April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
Updated: Health Canada issues recalls for two unauthorized cannabis products sold without market authorization (DIN) in Canada
The Ontario Cannabis Store has posted a recall for “Goodnight Dream Caps” from Taima Extracts Inc., a cannabis product they say is an unapproved prescription…
Mississauga to allow cannabis stores
Mississauga City Council voted today to approve a motion to lift its prohibition on cannabis retail stores and permit cannabis retail stores to be located…
Supreme Court upholds Quebec’s right to ban growing cannabis at home
The Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that Quebec has the right to ban residents from growing their own cannabis at home.
Mississauga could vote whether to approve cannabis stores soon
Mississauga General Council voted to receive a motion today calling on the city to reverse its original ban on cannabis stores that has been in…
New rules will allow BC to use civil forfeiture to target illegal cannabis growers
The BC Government will soon have new tools to apply civil forfeiture rules against illegal cannabis growers.
Cannabis consumers in Canada more likely to be younger, female compared to the US
The recently-released data compares sales figures from Ontario and Alberta, as well as eight legal US states against trends from 2021 to 2023.
Study highlights ongoing gaps in medical cannabis access in Canada
A group of medical cannabis advocates, researchers, and academics are drawing attention to what they say are concerns with proper access to medical cannabis in…
Producers can now provide cannabis samples to Alberta retailers
A policy proposal to abolish tax on cannabis for medical purposes is now one step closer to having a chance to be part of the…
Buying cannabis seeds and clones in Canada in 2023
As Canadians prepare for the 2023 cannabis growing season, home growers are beginning to get more options for finding cannabis clones and seeds.
BC company ships 20 kg of cannabis to Jamaica
A BC company says they recently completed the first shipment of legal cannabis from Canada to Jamaica.
Lab owner calls for more oversight of cannabis testing standards
The owner of one analytical testing lab is calling out what he says is a serious problem with the accuracy of THC levels on cannabis…
Health Canada warns public to consume “non compliant” edible extracts with caution
Health Canada issued a press release today warning Canadians of edible cannabis products like gummies and hard candies that they say are incorrectly marketed as…
OCS to reduce margins, move to fixed-pricing mark-up later this year
The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) will be reducing its margins and moving to a fixed markup pricing model later this year.
Advocates concerned with lack of separate medical cannabis review
Advocates with a prominent medical cannabis organization say they are concerned that Health Canada is going back on their past commitment to undertake a review…
Lawsuit alleges banks in Canada are discriminating against cannabis industry
A class action lawsuit is targeting several Canadian banks that it alleges have engaged in financial discrimination against legal cannabis businesses.
“Data scraping” concerns some Ontario cannabis retailers
Some Ontario retailers say they are concerned about a new type of “data leak” that appears to be showing their sales, circulating within the industry.
Some BC retailers unable to place orders from LDB due to system error
A policy proposal to abolish tax on cannabis for medical purposes is now one step closer to having a chance to be part of the…
What is actually happening with “edible extracts”?
The industry has been abuzz with speculation following reports of Health Canada telling some cannabis producers they can no longer sell so-called “edible extracts.”
Researchers: Aroma, not THC determines quality and “subjective effect” of cannabis
A study out of Oregon argues that aroma, rather than THC, is the most important factor when it comes to quality cannabis.
OCS bug gives some retailers early access
An error in Ontario’s new ordering system for cannabis retailers experienced a glitch in recent weeks that led to 115 retailers getting access to 94…