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April 1, 2023
The Week in Weed – April 1, 2023
The federal government’s Budget 2023, Shoppers’ withdrawal from the medical cannabis market, and other news for the week ending March 31.
The Week in Weed – April 1, 2023
The federal government’s Budget 2023, Shoppers’ withdrawal from the medical cannabis market, and other news for the week ending March 31.
Health Canada issues product recall for Pure Sun Farms BC Sour Kush for inaccurate labelling
Two lots of Pure Sunfarms Corp.’s Original Fraser Valley Weed Co. BC Sour Kush dried cannabis, sold in Ontario, were recalled due to incorrect cannabinoid…
Cannabis industry disappointed by lack of tax reform in Budget 2023
The Canadian government says it will continue to monitor the evolution of the cannabis industry, but did not include any significant reforms as part of…
Shoppers Drug Mart to exit medical cannabis market
Shoppers Drug Mart, one of the largest medical cannabis platforms in Canada, announced today its plans to transition out of the business, effective May 15,…
Most cannabis is around 18-24% THC, according to one lab’s results
One cannabis testing lab in Canada says most of the cannabis they have analyzed is around 18-24% THC, with only a fraction cracking the 30…
The Week in Weed – March 25, 2023
A recap of cannabis industry news for this week in weed, ending March 25.
Health Canada seeks feedback on potential amendments to Cannabis Regulations
Health Canada is seeking feedback from industry stakeholders on potential amendments to the Cannabis Regulations.
Producers can now provide cannabis samples to Alberta retailers
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
BC raids Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club at their new location
BC’s Community Safety Unit, along with Victoria Police were seen raiding the new location of the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club today.
Free market for retailers, but not consumption spaces, says Ford
Doug Ford doesn’t like the idea of cannabis smoking lounges, and also says the market should decide the fate of cannabis stores, not the government.
THC Testing—What it says vs What it is
We’ve spent decades trying to maximize THC—we even discovered that stressing out unpollinated female flowers gives us the best buzz and, presumably, the most THC…
Week in Weed – March 18
The clocks have changed, the other green holiday is in the rearview mirror (or maybe you’re still feeling a bit of it today), and the…
Trudeau says it’s time for government to “catch up” and support cannabis industry
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau acknowledged the need for the government to “catch up” with the cannabis industry’s concerns with issues like high taxation in a…
Sea Dog Farm becomes first Sun+Earth certified cannabis grower in Canada
A Vancouver Island outdoor cannabis farmer is the first in Canada to have their cannabis certified through Sun+Earth Certified, a US-based nonprofit third-party certification for…
Cannabis production licenses continue to come in, as licence revocations increase
There were 175 applications to grow or process cannabis commercially in Canada in 2022, the majority of them micros.
More “edible extracts” companies say they will be pausing production
Two more producers of cannabis-infused lozenges have released comments noting they will be adhering to a Health Canada notice to cease sale and distribution of…
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.
The Week in Weed – March 11, 2023
A round up of Canadian and international cannabis industry news for the week of March 11, 2023. Here’s your week in weed.
Global Cannabis Partnership launches Global Cannabis Trade Association
A Canadian group is launching what they hope will be a global trade organization for the cannabis industry.
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.
Challenges for some small producers shipping products to provinces
Cannabis producers outside of Ontario are trying to make shipping to the Ontario Cannabis Store work for them, although high costs to ship small-batch orders…
Edible extracts, direct delivery make a big splash in BC
The price of cannabis continues to decline in BC, while the number of cannabis stores increases.
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…
Jamaica’s Cannabis Licensing Authority pushes back against concerns with imported Canadian cannabis
Jamaica’s cannabis licensing agency is firing back after a controversy following several articles raised concerns about recent imports of cannabis from Canada.
The Week in Weed – March 4, 2023
A round up of Canadian and international cannabis industry news for the week of March 4, 2023. Here’s your week in weed.
BC company clarifies that they are not authorized to sell cocaine, psilocybin to the general public
BC-based cannabis company Adastra has issued a press release clarifying that they are not going to be selling coca leaf, psilocybin or cocaine to the…
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…
Full spectrum vs distillate. What’s better and who decides?
Consumers shopping for vape products in the Canadian cannabis market are now faced with a somewhat dizzying array of terminology, with more and more products…
Surrey Board of Trade says its time for cannabis stores in the city
The Surrey Board of Trade released a report today calling on the local government to begin allowing cannabis retailers to operate in Surrey.
A BC-based cannabis company approved to produce and sell cocaine, psilocybin
BC-based cannabis company Adastra Labs recently announced it has received Health Canada approval to include cocaine under its controlled substances dealer’s license.
The Week in Weed – Feb 25, 2023
A round up of Canadian cannabis industry news for the week of February 18, 2023. Here’s your week in weed.
Canadians purchased $4 billion worth of cannabis in 2021-2022
Federal and provincial governments have earned $1.6 billion from legal cannabis sales in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022.
Few if any harms associated with moderate cannabis use and lung function
Researchers in Australia say they have found no consistent association between cannabis use and measures of lung function.
Cannabis businesses rally behind banking lawsuit
The Canadian cannabis industry is reacting to a recent lawsuit filed against several Canadian lending institutions.
Nova Scotia sold $27 million worth of cannabis in Q3 as local product sales increase
The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) says cannabis sales were $27.6 million for the third quarter of 2022/23, an increase of 9.2 percent from the…
Ghost Drops closes Toronto store after purchasing production facility
Following the acquisition of a processing facility in 2022, popular cannabis brand Ghost Drops says they have closed their flagship Toronto retail location.
SQDC in Q3: Net income of $32.2 million from $187.3 million in sales
During its third reporter quarter of 2022, the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) recorded an overall net income of $32.2 million from $187.3 million in…
The Week in Weed – Feb 18, 2023
A recap of news making the headlines this week in weed, February 18, 2023.
The Good Weed Board, part three
In part three, I showcase four more products from the Good Weed Board. I also speculate about why good weed is so hard to find…
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.
The importance of safe cannabis purchase and consumption
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Canada assessed more than $500 million in excise taxes for fiscal year 2020-2021
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Sundial Cannabis announces layoffs as part of “rightsizing” efforts
Alberta-based cannabis producer Sundial announced today that it will be laying off about 85 people as part of a financial “rightsizing”.
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…
The Week in Weed – Feb 11, 2023
This week in weed is a round-up of cannabis industry news for the week of February 6, 2023.
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.
Canopy Growth closing Tweed’s Smiths Falls facility, laying off 800 workers
Canopy Growth has announced they are laying off 800 workers and will be closing its flagship facility at the former Hershey factory in Smiths Falls.
Peace Naturals recalls Spinach GMO Cookies pre-rolls from Ontario, Alberta due to inaccurate labels
Peace Naturals Project Inc. has recalled two lots of Spinach GMO Cookies pre-rolls, sold in Ontario and Alberta.
Cannabis retailers continue to face security challenges
Retail cannabis store owners in Canada face ongoing challenges protecting their property from break-ins. Proprietors aren’t only having to deal with the stress and financial…
The Week in Weed – Feb 4, 2023
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Peace Naturals recalls CBG infused pre-rolls due to inaccurate labels
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Ontario cannabis retailer group calls out “kickbacks”
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Can regulators reign in THC inflation without driving consumers to the illicit market?
A pair of papers in the most recent issue of the journal Addiction consider the question of elevated THC levels, and what—if any—policy responses might…
BC has brought in more than $157 million in cannabis excise tax since legalization
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
New Brunswick cannabis producer Eco Canadian Organic teams up with Green House Seed Co
Eco Canadian Organic Inc, a New Brunswick cannabis producer, has teamed up with Green House Seed Co to offer exclusive seeds through Canada’s medical cannabis…
The Week in Weed – January 28, 2023
A round-up of industry news and stories from the past week, including the future of consumption lounges, what’s happening with extracts, and a whole lot…
Some BC retailers unable to place orders from LDB due to system error
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Cannabis company tried to intimidate employees interested in union
Alberta’s labour relations board has found that Calgary-based Sundial Growers attempted to intimidate employees attending a union information session.
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.”
Community college in New Brunswick cancels cultivation course
A Community College in New Brunswick had to cancel a cannabis cultivation course this winter due to a lack of enrollment.
The Week in Weed – January 21, 2023
It was a relatively quiet week in cannabis this week, and here at Stratcann we covered changes at the CRA that will make intra-provincial B2B…
What’s the big stink? Rural Okanagan LP addresses odour concerns
A Vernon cannabis grower says they have addressed some neighbours’ odour concerns with the installation of new air filtration equipment.
Group said to be taking over annual Vancouver 420 event at Sunset Beach
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
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…
CRA provides additional info on intra-industry sale of cannabis products
New changes recently announced by the Canada Revenue Agency will make it easier for cannabis producers to help each other sell products in different provinces.
The Week in Weed – January 14, 2023
The cannabis industry was busy with a holy trinity of news cycles: delayed reports (in the form of the B.C. consumption spaces consultation), layoffs (at…
Ontario, Alberta launch new cannabis education programs
Alberta’s cannabis regulator has launched a new campaign to encourage responsible cannabis use.
BC releases What We Heard report on cannabis consumption spaces
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Winnipeg’s Delta 9 Cannabis to “temporarily” lay off approximately 40 staff in cost-cutting move
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Netherlands to experiment with regulated cannabis supply chain
The Dutch government is exploring options for regulating the supply chain for its hundreds of cannabis “coffee shops,” although any possible changes to its current…
The Week in Weed – January 7, 2023
The new year is here, resolutions are being made (and maybe broken, already) and the cannabis industry is starting to wake up from its own…
Vapes and extracts continue to eat into dried flower’s market share
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Aurora completes sale of Polaris facility in Edmonton
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
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.
Top ten cannabis stories of 2022
Covering the evolution of the legal cannabis industry in Canada is always fascinating, and 2022 had no shortage of exciting developments. StratCann has been covering…
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.
The year in provincial pot politics
Federal cannabis politics and regulations are often what makes for good headlines, but it’s at the provincial level where the real meat of the Canadian…
Ingestible oils most common cause of adverse reactions in two annual reports
Health Canada has released their first two reviews on Adverse Reaction Reports associated with cannabis products. The most common reports of adverse reactions to cannabis…
Artist and budtender makes sculptures from cannabis packaging
An Ontario-area artist and budtender is creating sculptures out of cannabis packaging in order to draw attention to the amount of waste generated in the…
The Week in Weed – December 17, 2022
We’re approaching the end of the season, and things are buzzing right along in the cannabis world. December is traditionally a good month for pot…
F1NE Cannabis on micros, community, and their future farmgate
F1NE Cannabis Cultivation, located in St Catharines, Ontario, is working hard to bring unique, quality craft cannabis to the market through its own micro cannabis…
Fund launched in BC to assist First Nations interested in cannabis industry
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
Growing Relationships is coming to Calgary on April 29, 2023
StratCann is bringing our Growing Relationships industry event to Calgary, Alberta on April 29, 2023.
Updated: Ontario, BC pause listing any new delta-8 THC products, await guidance from Health Canada
The Ontario Cannabis Store sent out a notice to licensed cannabis producers on December 15 to inform them that the provincial cannabis distributor and retailer…
Weed Me Inc. recalls one lot of Diamond District Sativa Pre-Rolls Cannabis Extract
A cannabis company has had to recall one lot of cannabis pre-rolls from the Ontario market for not being potent enough.
Banking reform in US unlikely to help Canadian cannabis companies
It was budget week and, as we covered, many in the cannabis industry were a bit disappointed (though perhaps not all that surprised) at the…
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.
New testing standards could help challenge inflated THC levels in legal weed
Last Friday, Health Canada announced several changes to the cannabis regulations. While a long-awaited change to beverage equivalency factors is getting most of the attention,…
