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 cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
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 cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
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 cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
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…
Survey: Legalization has improved access to medical cannabis in Canada
A new report prepared for Health Canada shows that the legalization of cannabis in Canada in 2018 improved access, information sharing, and reduced stigma associated…
BC releases What We Heard report on cannabis consumption spaces
A cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
Health Canada commissioning research to compare the effects of novel cannabinoids
Health Canada confirms it is looking into the effects of different cannabinoids to create equivalency amounts to delta-9-THC.
Community group enables access to legal cannabis for residents of Vancouver’s DTES
Efforts to bring more affordable cannabis options to people in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside are so far proving successful, says one of Vancouver’s longtime community activists.
Banking reform in US unlikely to help Canadian cannabis companies
A cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
Micro licences continue to grow in popularity
Micro cannabis licences continue to be the most popular licence type according to newly updated numbers from Health Canada.
Cannabis farmgate comes to BC
Cannabis growers in BC can now apply for a “farmgate” retail licence that will allow them to run a retail cannabis store at their farm…
Full panel announced for Cannabis Act review
Health Canada has announced new members of the independent expert panel to lead a review of the Cannabis Act.
OCS eliminates recall liability insurance requirement
The Ontario Cannabis Store announced that they will be eliminating their requirement for product recall liability insurance and increasing their commercial general liability insurance.
Cannabis NB launches Good to Know education campaign
A cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
Despite constitutional concerns, northern Ontario city seeks to limit homegrown cannabis
Elliot Lake, a small town in northern Ontario, is looking to establish bylaws to control where people can grow cannabis, despite concerns that such a…
Much more needed than just a change to tax payment timeline
The inclusion of some small changes to how Canadian cannabis companies operate and pay their taxes as part of a recent bill tabled in Parliament…
More on proposed cannabis beverage equivalency changes still expected by winter 2022
Canadians should soon have the chance to provide comments on proposed changes to the cannabis regulations, including increasing the public possession limit for cannabis beverages.
Cannabis council frustrated by illicit dispensaries taking part in Toronto Halloween event
A cannabis industry association is raising concerns with what they say were two illicit cannabis dispensaries taking part in a recent children’s-themed cannabis event in…
All Nations launches their first cannabis store in Shxwhá:y Village in Chilliwack, BC
All Nations, a First Nations-run cannabis company, is partnered with Shxwhá:y First Nation on a production facility in Shxwhá:y Village in Chilliwack, BC. All Nations…
BC LDB releases first wholesale quarterly sales report
New sales figures from the BCLDB show that wholesale grams sold and wholesale cannabis sales in the province have increased significantly in Q1 2022 compared…
Yukon introduces new special order program for low-demand cannabis products
A cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
Quebec micro processor looking to hand over business to new ownership
A micro processor in Quebec that is focussing on cannabis-infused topicals is looking for someone to take over their operations.
With website closure, Yukon completes handover of cannabis retail sales to private sector
The Government of Yukon announced today that the Yukon Liquor Corporation’s Cannabis Yukon website is now closed, leaving cannabis e-commerce to private licence holders.
Cannabis industry in an “emergency crisis”, asks for moratorium on 2.3% annual regulatory fee
Cannabis industry calls on immediate regulatory reform: “This is an industry that cannot pay its own bills and cannot make ends meet.”
Four years later: Following Canada’s path to legalizing cannabis
October 17 marks the four-year anniversary of cannabis being legal in Canada. That day marks not only a new beginning in terms of righting a…
BC’s Woody Nelson making a big impression with their LoFi CBD oil
A cannabis producer in BC is trying to let retailers know they are not affiliated with the BC government. BC Cannabis Inc. is an Indigenous-owned micro…
BC looks to expand enforcement options against illicit online cannabis sellers
The BC government has introduced new legislation intended to help them get a handle on online illicit cannabis sales in the province.
Ontario Micro Growers (OMG) is a four-person team in Ontario looking to help micros find a path to market in the province
Started by a handful of trusted friends and cannabis enthusiasts with different levels of experience in both the cannabis industry and consumer packaged goods, the…
Ontario sold more than $400 million worth of cannabis in first three months of 2022
Ontario sold more than 63 million grams of legal cannabis in the first three months of 2022, representing over $405 million in sales.
BC cannabis nursery Klonetics announces deal with California’s Seed Junky Genetics
Klonetics, a cannabis nursery located in Kelowna, BC, is now offering genetics to their B2B partners from California cannabis breeders Seed Junky Genetics.
West Blvd Cannabis is Canada’s first culinary cannabis facility
Located in the heart of Mt. Pleasant, West Blvd Cannabis (WBC) is Canada’s first culinary cannabis facility. WBC is the first licensed micro processor approved…
Cannabis Act review to focus on progress, impact of legalization in Canada
Health Canada has announced the launch of its formal review of the Cannabis Act today.
Cannabis industry still recovering from OCS, LDB distribution shutdowns in August
Cannabis retailers in BC and Ontario are finally starting to dig themselves out from the shutdown of those provinces’ centralized delivery systems.
Microcraft Cannabis Workshop focussed on cultivation in Coldstream
Smaller than even the typical micro, Microcraft Cannabis Workshop is operating with a canopy of only around 95m2, a little under half of the 200m2…
Alberta has collected more than $176,000 in cannabis fines since 2018
Alberta has collected more than $176,000 in fines from cannabis retailers and producers doing business in the province since the beginning of legalization.
Supreme Court to hear final arguments in challenge of Quebec’s home-grow ban Sept 15
The case that will determine if it’s legal for people in Quebec to grow their own cannabis will get its final day in court on…
Quebec to launch new small-batch “Petits lots” pilot project
The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) is launching a new product call program for small batch products that could help some small-scale growers get new…
BC halting direct delivery program pending further notice
Cannabis producers say they are being told by the BC government that the province is indefinitely postponing their direct delivery program due to issues related…
BC cannabis retailers and producers frustrated by LDB shutdown
Cannabis retailers and producers in BC say they are already starting to feel the pinch from a strike that shut down the province’s cannabis distribution…
Micro licences taking off in Quebec
Quebec has seen a big uptick in new micro licences in 2022, more than any other province so far this year.
Cannabis retailers, producers in BC prepare for direct delivery
Cannabis producers and retailers in British Columbia are gearing up to participate in the province’s new direct delivery program.
BC’s cannabis distribution centre will not ship or receive products until further notice
Due to a union job action, British Columbia’s centralized cannabis distribution warehouse is suspending the receival or shipment of any orders for the time being.