On Monday, June 9, the Town of Olds’ council will hold a public hearing on a proposal to rezone two parcels of land in the southeast industrial park owned by SNDL Inc. The request by SNDL is to rezone the land where it previously operated its cannabis cultivation business from Direct Control 7 (cannabis production) to Light Industrial 1.
A new study highlights 33 significant markers that influence cannabinoid production, promising to drive the development of cannabis varieties with specific cannabinoid profiles.
The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) was one of 14 winners of the Retail Council of Canada’s2025 Excellence in Retailing Awards for its 90-minute delivery service.
One cannabis company, THC BioMed, announced the launch of itscannabis seeds in Manitoba now that the province allows home growing.
The Gross domestic product (GDP) for the cannabis sector in Canada was $9.1 billion in Q1 2025, continuing an ongoing trend.
The most recent, seasonally adjusted figures from Statistics Canada show that the cannabis industry’s contribution to Canada’s GDP was $9.104 billion in the first three months of 2025. This is an increase from $8.3 billion in 2024.
Licensed cannabis production saw a 10.6% increase from March 2024 to March 2025 and a 1.2% increase from February 2025 to March 2025, while the unlicensed sector saw a 4.5% and 0.2% decrease, respectively.
Licensed cannabis stores saw a 4.7% year-over-year increase from March 2024 to March 2025 but a 0.2% decrease from February 2025 to March 2025. Unlicensed cannabis stores saw a 4.4% and 0.1% decrease over the same time periods.
Household final consumption expenditure on cannabis in Q1 2025 was $11.7 billion. To compare, alcohol accounted for $23.2 billion, and tobacco for $11.9 billion.
The combined revenue, expenditure and budgetary balance of provincial and territorial administration from cannabis taxes and cannabis trading profits was $1.5 billion in Q1 2025, down from $1.032 billion in Q4 2024 but up from $868 billion in Q1 2024.
The household final consumption expenditure for non-medical cannabis products (legal) in the first quarter of 2025 was $1,525,000,000 in current prices, seasonally adjusted. This was down slightly from the previous quarter but up year-over-year. Meanwhile, cannabis purchased from non-legal sources saw its fifth quarter of declines.
Household expenditures on medical cannabis remained level at $116,000,000 from Q4 2024 to Q1 2025, and up slightly from Q1 2024.
The cannabis job market in Canada continues to show steady activity, with new roles opening up from coast to coast. Our June 2025 job round-up features opportunities in retail, cultivation, production, sales, and more.
As the sector continues to evolve and grow, employers are hiring both seasoned professionals and newcomers eager to get started. Whether you’re interested in hands-on production, customer service, or brand development, there are a variety of career paths to explore.
Browse the latest listings below and take the next step in your journey.
British Columbia
Pistol and Paris in Agassiz is looking to hire a full-time Production Worker.
In Financial news, Canopy reported their Q4 2025 results, Rubicon Organics released their Q1 2025, and True North completed a stalking horse bid and moved from CCAA.
In law enforcement news, CBSA seized cannabis heading to Barbados and Spain, while Hong Kong customs seized cannabis from BC.
A cannabis retail rezoning application has been sent to the City of Victoria, BC by the Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club. The VCBC anticipates that the city council will continue to support its efforts to obtain a temporary exemption.
The Yaherb Cafe in Nelson, BC, is asking for your help in raising $5,600 to retain the talents of cannabis lawyers and activists Jack Lloyd and Kirk Tousaw.
BC seeks forfeiture of homes worth $4.5 million allegedly linked to drugs and money laundering, including illicit cannabis production. The suit notes that Guo Li was authorized to produce cannabis at the Ridge Drive property for medical purposes, but the 600 plants and 33 kg of harvested cannabis were greater than he was allowed. Police also found 2.5 kilograms of MDMA and ketamine and about 3,000 MDMA, methamphetamine, and caffeine pills.
MediPharm Labs Corp. announced it has begun production on novel cannabis metered dose inhalers for the EU and the United Kingdom, distributed by Blackpoint Limited, MediPharm’s exclusive sales and distribution partner in those territories. MediPharm Labs has launched metered dose inhalers in the Canadian adult use and medical channels and expects to launch in Australia, the EU, and the United Kingdom in Q3 of this year.
Cannabis sales through licensed cannabis retailers in Newfoundland and Labrador totalled $26.4 million in Q4 2024, an increase of 16.3% over Q4 of the prior year. Total retail cannabis sales in Q4, including online sales, were $26.5 million. Total retail cannabis sales for fiscal year 2025 increased by 17.4% over the prior year to $102.8 million. Cannabis NL welcomed three new retailers in Q4 in Bay Roberts, Corner Brook and Placentia. As of the end of fiscal 2025, there were 59 cannabis stores in the province.
A fourth cannabis retail store could open in North Battleford, SK, if city council approves a discretionary use application from the owner of GrassBar Cannabis and Meadow Vape.
High Tide opened the 87th Canna Cabana location in Alberta, and the 200th in Canada.
Membertou First Nation’scannabis council (in Nova Scotia) is gathering feedback from Membertou community members on the community’s proposed cannabis law that will seek to address some community concerns that the unregulated sale of cannabis in residential areas has had significant impacts on the safety and quality of life in Membertou. Google Maps lists more than a dozen such shops in the community of about 1,700 people.
Two men who were arrested in 2023 were found guilty this past week for selling cannabis edibles—packaged to look like Oreos, Sour Patch Kids and Chips Ahoy—outside a Vancouver SkyTrain station. The men were also found with contraband cigarettes, 1.1 grams of fentanyl, 1.4 grams of hydromorphone, 125 grams of psilocybin, and about $2,000 in cash.
Bill S-207 received First Reading in the Senate on May 28, 2025. The bill seeks to amend the Criminal Records Act to provide for the expiry of criminal records, including certain cannabis offences.
On May 26, revenue officers in Ireland seized 149 kilograms of cannabis at Shannon Airport in parcels originating from Canada. Investigations are ongoing.
The Mayor of London, England, Sadiq Khan, says he supports thedecriminalization of cannabis possession following a report from the London Drugs Commission. Khan has no power to decriminalize cannabis in London.
And finally, two Essex men who smuggled 60 kilograms of cannabis from Canada into Scotland in 2024 have now been jailed. Jamaal Darbasie, 27, and George Manton, 19, were stopped by UK Border Force officers when they arrived at Glasgow Airport from Toronto on March 10 last year. Darbasie was jailed for three years, while Manton will spend 30 months behind bars.
Canada was again the largest exporter of medical cannabis products to Germany as of the first quarter of 2025.
Of the 37,223 kilograms of dried cannabis flower imported into Germany in the first three months of 2025, about half, 16,057 kg, were from Canada. The second-largest importing country into Germany was Portugal, with 12,059 kg, and Denmark in a distant third, with 2,634 kg, out of 16 importing countries.
Cannabis flower imports into Germany have increased over the last five quarters from just 8,143 kg in Q1 2024. The amount of cannabis imported from Canada in the first three months of 2025 was about half of the total amount (33,155 kg) imported from Canada in all of 2024. That figure doubled from the 16,895 kg imported from Canada in 2023.
The import of cannabis for medical or medical-scientific purposes into Germany is expected to continue, provided that a corresponding permit is obtained under Section 4 of the Medical Cannabis Act (MedCanG).
Cannabis for medical purposes that was cultivated in Germany under state control can also be exported, although Canada has continued to only allow cannabis imports for scientific purposes, rather than for medical use.
An increasing number of Canadian cannabis companies have been turning to the international export market, drawn by higher prices and higher demand, especially in countries like Australia, Germany, Israel, and the UK. Some cannabis producers in Israel, Colombia, and Australia have expressed concern about their ability to compete with the amount of imports coming from countries like Canada.
From October 2018 to September 2024 (most recently available data), there were 295,933,850 grams of cannabis and 52,662.1 litres of cannabis oil exported from Canada to markets like Australia, Israel, Germany, and the UK.
The American cannabis company, which operates in Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, and Latin America, was the first to receive a cannabis production licence in the country. Canadian cannabis company Aurora and the German company Demecan are also now licensed for production in the country, as well.
In February 2024, Germany passed the German Medical Cannabis Act, expanding the country’s medical cannabis laws.
People looking to grow their own cannabis in Ontario this year now have the option of buying cannabis clones directly from two of the province’s cannabis farmgate locations.
Kingston Cannabis Inc. in Kingston and Level Up Infusions in North York, two of a handful of cannabis farmgate licenses in the province, are partnering with a local micro cultivator to sell cannabis clones through their stores.
Jonathan Pilon, the president of Kingston Cannabis, says he believes the two stores are the first in Ontario to do so.
Roots on Tire Fire clones from Torrcann
“It’s been something we’ve been trying to do for years, we just had to have everything aligned,” says Pilon, who says he sees it as a way to help bring attention to the two farmgate stores in such a highly saturated retail market.
“[Farmgate’s] a really nice opportunity to show the market what we can do,” he adds. “We can form our own individual menus and really offer much more fresh product right out our door. And you can’t get more fresh than live plants.”
He expects the first sales in early June with a few dozen of the cultivar Tire Fire. He is also exploring more options down the road, especially for pre-orders, depending on consumer interest.
Daniel Torres, the owner of Torrcann, a micro cultivator located just down the road from Kingston Cannabis, says Tire Fire is a cross of High Octane and Do-Si-Dos, from Archive Seeds. It’s one of the many different genetics he has worked with for many years, bringing them in when TorrCann was first licensed in 2021.
“We decided to launch Tire Fire first because we figured it’s suitable for outdoors in Ontario. We thought it was a strong genetic that people would enjoy for their four outdoor plants,” Torres tells StratCann. He also notes that they have extensively grown and tested Tire Fire, learning how the plant grows, testing the flower, and testing the plants for diseases like hop latent viroid.
Only about a dozen of these provincially-licensed cannabis farmgate stores operate in Canada, allowing consumers to engage more directly with the cannabis grower or processor. Even fewer stores offer consumers the opportunity to purchase clones directly.
Moncton, New Brunswick, is home to Canada’s only cannabis farmgate nursery, Klonz, with a focus on starting material for growers. Hidden Harvest, the producer behind the Klonz store and brand, has also worked with retailers in New Brunswick and PEI to offer clones to consumers at retail stores and even special events.
Other farmgate stores in the province, like Eco Canadian Organic, have also offered clones for sale at their store in Rexton.
British Columbia’s direct delivery program has also allowed cultivators and nurseries to sell clones directly to retailers, bypassing the provincial distribution warehouse.
Two new cannabis stores will be coming to Burnaby, BC.
The city of around 250,000 people, located just east of Vancouver, has until now only allowed for two provincially-run BC Cannabis Stores within its boundaries. In July 2024, council recommended a policy change to also allow up to four privately run stores.
Four applications were received by the city during an intake period in the winter and spring, one for each of the city’s four quadrants.
At a city council meeting on May 27, city staff recommended two of those applications, but did not recommend two others due to their proximity to stores in neighbouring cities. Burnaby zoning bylaws don’t allow cannabis stores to be within one kilometre of another location.
Based on those recommendations, council voted to approve two locations, the first at 180-4112 Lougheed Highway (Seed & Stone – northwest quadrant) and the second at 5906 Kingsway (Seed & Stone – southwest quadrant).
The city council also approved an amendment to clarify that Burnaby’s distance requirements only relate to stores located within city limits, and to hold off on the Austin Rd and Canada Way locations, pending the outcome of the proposed changes to city zoning bylaw.
One councillor noted that the distance bylaw was always intended to apply only to stores within Burnaby city limits, not to locations in neighbouring cities like Vancouver to the west and Coquitlam to the east.
Those two applications were for 204-9855 Austin Road (Kelo Cannabis – northeast quadrant), which is near a store in Coquitlam, and 3722 Canada Way (Local Cannabis – southeast quadrant), located near a store in Vancouver, as well as the application at 5906 Kingsway.
Another BC city in the Metro Vancouver area recently began allowing cannabis stores. Surrey, the second largest city in the province behind Vancouver, with around 700,000 people, recently approved 11 private cannabis stores, the first legal cannabis stores in the city.
Richmond, BC, located west of Surrey and home to more than 200,000 people, does not allow any cannabis retailers.
Wholesale cannabis sales in BC (From the provincial distributor to cannabis stores) in the first three months of 2025 (Q4 2024) were $144 million, up 9% from the same period in 2023, but down slightly from the previous quarter ($146.9 million).
Featured image of a Seed & Stone location in Coquitlam, just outside Burnaby city limits.
Total cannabis retail salesjumped up in March when looking at unadjusted numbers, although when looking at seasonally adjusted figures, March’s sales were actually just below February’s. Stats Canada often updates figures over time, so these numbers could change.
Patrick Cain had a good write-up about the current state of cannabis retail in Toronto and what the future in the saturated market will look like when a batch of commercial leases come up for renewal this year.
Modaq took an in-depth look at two court cases, which StratCann has also been covering, in which courts have rejected the CRA’s efforts to hold directors at two different cannabis companies liable for millions in excise duties.
The CBC also covered the AGCO’s rule changes for store visibility.
The National Post also covered Deloitte’s new report on cannabis excise.
THC blood concentration was highlighted in a court case in Saskatchewan where a woman was found to have a THC blood concentration of 13.7 ng/mL following a fatal accident. The legal limit for THC is 5 ng/mL.
Simply Solventless now says it plans to file its financials on or before June 2, 2025. The company had previously announced that its management discussion and analysis would be available on May 21, 2025, and prior to that, SCC had said it would release its 2024 audited annual financial results on April 30, 2025.
In an ongoing conflict between the two companies, MediPharm Labs Corp. alerted its shareholders to publicly available information about Regan McGee, the controlling shareholder, director, Chairman and CEO of Apollo Technology Capital Corporation: a dissident MediPharm shareholder.
Apollo also filed an amended and restated dissident proxy circular on May 20, 2025, seeking to elect McGee and five other directors to the MediPharm board of directors at the company’s Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders scheduled for June 16, 2025.
On May 23, Apollo also said that MediPharm Labs’ Board of Directors did not respond to Apollo Capital’s “With Prejudice” offer to the Board to ensure the rights of shareholders are protected in connection with the Company’s upcoming 2025 Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders, to be held on June 16, 2025.
A new study in the US says cannabis-related emergency department (ED) visits on April 20th were 17% higher than on control days. The findings are consistent with prior work examining the association between April 20th and ED visits in a small sample of British Columbian hospitals.
Vaping cannabis may not be as safe as many people believe, according to new research from the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre.
A group of concerned Six Nations residents has created a petition calling for a local cannabis growing facility to be revoked of its licence. In a May 1 media release from Six Nations Cannabis Commission (SNCC), the commission responded to concerns over a community-licensed cannabis facility, “Legacy Farms”, and its non-band member employees possibly living on the property of the cannabis facility.
International cannabis news
Regulators in Australia are concerned that practitioners are putting profits over patient safety, with some writing more than 100 medicinal cannabis scripts a day. The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency said one doctor appeared to have issued more than 17,000 scripts in six months, while a nurse practitioner appeared to have issued 31,000 scripts over a year.
In its most recent session, the Board of Directors of Uruguay’s Institute for the Regulation and Control of Cannabis (IRCCA) decided to convene the Honorary National Council. This Council is made up of representatives from state agencies, the University of the Republic, and the Congress of Mayors, as well as representatives from membership clubs, self-cultivation associations, and licensed companies. The convening of this Council will allow for the formal and regular incorporation of a diversity of voices and experiences that will enrich the discussion, information exchange, and decision-making for improving public policy.
Ontario has now removed the requirement that says cannabis stores cannot have cannabis or cannabis accessories visible from the exterior of the premises.
The change removes Ontario’s Standard 2.5 from the Registrar’s Standards for Cannabis Retail Stores, eliminating the registrar’s requirement that cannabis and accessories not be visible from the exterior of the premises.
The AGCO says the change is intended to support cannabis retailers by fostering a more welcoming environment and increasing store safety, while continuing to protect youth from exposure to cannabis.
The provincial agency also says that removing this requirement means the AGCO can focus its compliance and enforcement efforts on other risk areas, contributing to a safer and more sustainable cannabis retail landscape.
Jazz Samra, the owner and founder of Sativa Bliss Cannabis, with five locations in Ontario, has been lobbying for such changes and expressed approval in a social media post.
“A big thank you to everyone who helped advocate for removing the window coverings. This is a huge step for cannabis retailers. We no longer have to operate in the shadows.
“Thank you to everyone in the government that listened and put aside their biases and fears to stand up for employee safety and let cannabis stores operate in the public just like all other businesses.”
Tom Uszynski, the owner of Uptown Herb with two locations in Ontario, one in Grand Bend and one in Waterloo, shares Samra’s enthusiasm and would like to see the AGCO now also remove the provincial requirement to check customers’ IDs upon entrance to the store.
Uptown Herb’s Waterloo location
“I really think it’s a great step forward,” says Uszynski, noting that he had planned for such changes by installing movable window blinds in his Grand Bend location, rather than the adhesive coverings he used at his Waterloo location.
“I already instructed my staff in Grand Bend to roll up the windows,” he adds, although the removal of the covering at the Waterloo location may take a little longer. “It’s not too big of a deal, but obviously it’s a waste of money.
“I think the budtender security and staff security are going to be a lot better. It’s going to be more welcoming and inviting. Customers won’t think this is an illegal store. I think it is definitely a great decision on their part.”
“Retailers should do an audit of their promotions, particularly those that may be visible from the outside, before peeling down any window coverings or otherwise making their store more visible.”
Harrison Jordan, the managing lawyer of Substance Law,
Next, Uszynski says he wants to see Ontario remove the rule requiring retailers to check ID when customers enter the store, rather than at the counter.
Raju Saini, the president at Piffingtons Cannabis Co., which has stores in Brampton, Kitchener, and Milton, says the change is an affirmation for him, since he already removed window coverings at his stores following a robbery in January.
“It’s a win in the right direction,” he says. “There are still a lot of things the AGCO needs to do on our behalf, but this is one step closer to some of the changes retailers want to see. I think this also shows retailers can be more vigilant and take certain things into their own hands before AGCO even makes that choice.
“I think sometimes, as retailers, we have to put our neck on the line and be the first to do it. So this tells me that I made the right decision.”
Retailers in other provinces have also made similar arguments about provincial requirements for window coverings. In 2022, Alberta removed such requirements. At the time, the provincial regulator’s executive VP said the board approved the change “to ensure that AGLC policy is not inadvertently contributing to [criminals] targeting these locations due to a lack of visibility into the site”.
In 2023, BC’s cannabis regulator removed similar requirements for stores in that province, citing similar security concerns. Both provincial regulators had previously argued that such requirements were in line with federal regulations before walking them back.
“It’s a win in the right direction. There are still a lot of things the AGCO needs to do on our behalf, but this is one step closer to some of the changes retailers want to see. I think this also shows retailers can be more vigilant and take certain things into their own hands before AGCO even makes that choice.”
Raju Saini, the president at Piffingtons Cannabis Co.
Federal regulations state that it is prohibited to promote cannabis, a cannabis accessory, or a service related to cannabis in such a manner that the promotion may be audible or visible from outside a place where young persons are not permitted by law. The AGCO, however, has maintained that window coverings were not a requirement in Ontario, as long as stores found another way to adhere to the federal rule.
“To be clear, the AGCO’s regulatory standards do not require cannabis retail stores to cover their windows,” an AGCO representative told StratCann earlier this year. Through continued engagement with licensees and sector partners, we use every opportunity to remind that the Standards only specify that products must not be visible from outside the store. Licensees can determine how best to meet this standard, including through approaches such as interior wall dividers, opaque cabinetry, the layout of their shelving, and other approaches.”
Today’s announcement goes several steps further than other provinces by moving beyond removing window coverings and toward rejecting these federal requirements.
Not all retailers are entirely pleased by the changes, though.
Jennawae Cavion, founder of Calyx + Trichomes, a cannabis retailer in Kingston, says she would have appreciated more notice that such changes were coming.
“This is a long overdue change that has cost retailers safety and thousands of dollars to adhere to,” Cavion tells StratCann. “I recently just built out a store with the old regulations in mind. There was no warning that this change was coming, and I can’t afford to change course at this point. I wish from the beginning, the AGCO (and Health Canada for that matter) would enact sensible legislation that makes sense from both a public safety standpoint and is reasonable for retailers to adhere to. This example is one of many that need practical reform.”
Harrison Jordan, a Toronto-based lawyer who works in the cannabis space, notes that while the new AGCO rule change addresses the display of cannabis and cannabis accessories, retailers still need to take care to not promote cannabis outside of their store.
“The AGCO rules that were removed only applied to the display of cannabis and cannabis accessories, not to promotion,” says Jordan. “Thus, stores should take care to ensure that promotions inside their store are not visible from the exterior of it.”
Retailers, he adds, should do an audit of their promotions, particularly those that may be visible from the outside, before peeling down any window coverings or otherwise making their store more visible.
“Separately, the federal Act at s. 17 and 18 still prohibits sellers from displaying cannabis or accessories if it may be visible by someone under 18, so the federal prohibition still exists and allowing visibility of products and accessories from the exterior is not without some risk, but I have not personally seen that particular federal prohibition enforced in provinces that have removed their own such parallel prohibition – though I could see it happening if the display of the product itself may entice youth or pose public health and safety concerns.”
According to a new survey from a recruitment agency, budtenders in Canada want better pay, better hours, and a more straightforward path to advance in the industry.
Retail and manufacturing roles in the cannabis industry, such as budtenders, production technicians, and assistant managers, experienced modest pay increases in 2024, according to a new cannabis salary guide. Despite this, many budtenders continue to earn below a living wage in parts of the country.
At the same time, other positions in the industry command much higher compensation and opportunities for career advancement. While the average salary for budtenders was $17.20-$26.00 an hour, buyers and inventory managers made $55,000-$80,000 a year, and general managers made from $70,000-$100,000 a year.
On the production side, a cannabis packager might make from about $35,000-$65,000 a year, a director of extraction might make from about $80,000-$130,000 a year, and a VP of manufacturing could make from about $140,000-$220,000 a year.
Executive compensation remained stable during this period, with base salaries for C-level roles (such as CEO, CFO, COO) ranging from $150,000 to $300,000, although there’s also a growing use of performance-based bonuses and equity as retention tools.
The 2025 Cannabis Salary Guide from Toronto-based recruitment agency White Ash Group, which focuses on Canada’s cannabis industry, seeks to empower those working to better understand the workplace landscape.
“Hiring successfully in 2025 is all about alignment between compensation, culture, and career path,” says White Ash Group Co-Founder, Graydon Welbourn. “The most successful companies will be the ones that think beyond just filling roles and start building workplaces that people actually want to grow in.”
“We’re seeing noticeable salary growth at the VP and Director level—especially in operations and sales—which reflects the shift from startup hustle to scale-stage strategy,” he adds. “Companies taking things seriously are investing in experienced leadership to stabilize and compete long term.”
The guide goes beyond just cannabis production and retail sales, including cannabis industry jobs like marketing, sales, technology, research, finance, human resources, business operations, QA and compliance, and much more.
In addition to looking at the Canadian cannabis market, the guide also integrates information from eight different legal US markets with over 2,500 verified North American data points from craft and mid-size companies.
The guide also includes insights from the Canadian budtender community, the High Buds Club, which boasts membership from 20% of retail cannabis employees in Canada. Surveys with High Buds’ broad membership base show that about half of budtenders earn $18-$20/hour, and just over half feel their pay is fair compared to other retail.
Despite this, more than three-quarters (77%) of budtenders in Ontario earn below the provincial living wage of $21.67/hour (Toronto is $26 and Ottawa is $22.80). However, there are opportunities in the space. Over half (54%) of surveyed budtenders received a raise or promotion in the past year, although some employees feel it can be difficult to advance beyond the retail space.
According to High Buds, although many budtenders feel they are underpaid, members rate their job satisfaction at 7.4 out of 10. Most budtenders (62%) also say they feel they have influence on most sales in their store, emphasizing their importance in the supply chain from their perspective, despite many struggling to earn a living.
“We are experts in our field. We must know product knowledge and pride ourselves in knowledge and customer service,” said one anonymous budtender who participated in the survey. “I feel like we aren’t recognized enough for what we do. We are left scraping for pennies, living paycheque to paycheque, while others in fields less demanding than ours make more of a living. Making minimum wage is insulting, and it’s left me second-guessing if being a budtender is something I really want to do. I feel like there’s no growth in this industry, and we make companies big dollars, while every budtender I’ve talked to is struggling.”
Despite these frustrations, many respondents also shared that they were motivated by their love and passion for the plant.
“I love sharing my passion for cannabis with other like-minded individuals,” said another. “I am still blown away that it is legalized, and I am honoured to be a part of the growing industry.”
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion continue to also be a focus of the cannabis industry in Canada, even as priorities shift in other parts of the world. Organizations like the SEED Initiative, the BC Indigenous Cannabis Business Fund, and the Ontario Cannabis Store all have initiatives seeking to empower a more diverse cannabis industry in Canada.
You can see some examples of the many different jobs available in the Canadian cannabis industry in StratCann’s monthly job listings.
A new report from Deloitte and the Cannabis Council of Canada (C3) is calling on the federal and provincial governments to make changes to the federal cannabis excise rate in Canada and to lower other regulatory fees.
The report looks at the impact of the current cannabis excise tax regime in Canada and the ability of licensed cannabis producers to compete in a crowded marketplace with thin margins.
Deloitte’s study of the issue looked at financial data of public cannabis producers, including 36 licensed cannabis producers from 2019 to 2024. Researchers found that the effective tax rate of $1 per gram of cannabis, charged at the wholesale level, has increased significantly as a share of total gross revenue since the beginning of legalization.
As wholesale cannabis prices have dropped, the flat $1 per gram rate hasn’t changed, meaning the total percentage going to the federal and provincial governments has increased significantly. Cannabis excise rates ranged from an average of 11.2% in 2019 to 24.3% in 2024. This increases to 15.3% in 2019 and 31.5% in 2024 on the basis of gross cannabis production revenue subject to excise tax.
The excise tax is often the largest single expense item for cannabis producers, with excise tax representing an average of 45.9% of COGS and 77.1% of SG&A in FY23 for the cannabis producers assessed, says the Deloitte report.
C3’s president, Paul McCarthy, says he would like to see the rate changed to 10%.
“Currently, the formula is 10% of the value of the product or $1 per gram, whatever the greater,” McCarthy. “When this formula was enacted in 2018, cannabis was selling at approximately $10 per gram (in the medicinal channel), so the $1 per gram part of the formula made sense. Today, Licensed Producers sell their products for approximately $3 per gram, meaning the effective tax rate is 33% and higher, depending on the variety of products any individual company sells. We are asking to drop the latter part of the formula and go to 10% ad valorem.”
Figures from 2024 show the federal government had collected more than $2.5 billion in cannabis excise tax. Nearly $2 billion of tax had gone back to the provinces, which collect 75% of the excise, while more than $566 million went to the federal government.
In addition to calls for a new excise rate, the Deloitte report also highlights the direct and indirect regulatory costs faced by the industry, including thousands in annual regulatory fees from the federal government.
Representatives from several cannabis producers in Canada contributed comments for the report, including Tilray, Rubicon Organics, Canopy Growth Corporation, Nuances MJ, Organigram, Aurora Cannabis, SNDL, and Peak Processing.
“Canada’s cannabis industry has the potential to be a global leader in innovation, research, and economic growth—but excessive excise taxes are holding us back,” said Margaret Brodie, CEO of Rubicon Organics. “Unlike other industries where taxes are applied to the bottom line, cannabis faces a top-line excise tax that cripples profitability before companies even cover basic costs.
“This flawed tax structure stifles reinvestment in R&D, job creation, and world-class product development. Reforming the excise tax will not only strengthen Canadian businesses but position Canada as the global gold standard in cannabis innovation—driving exports, GDP growth, and economic success for years to come.”
“Canada likes to position itself as a global leader in legal cannabis—but since legalization in 2018, the federal government has failed this industry and the tens of thousands of hardworking Canadians it supports,” said McCarthy in an earlier statement. “With a new government in office, it’s time for action. The cannabis industry deserves the same attention and support as any sector of our economy.”
Canada’s cannabis industry is a major driver of economic growth, according to McCarthy, and has contributed more than $43 billion to the national GDP since the beginning of legalization in 2018, with approximately $7.4 billion contributed in 2024 alone.
Vancouver-based Segra International has acquired Klonetics Plant Science Inc., a licensed cannabis nursery and cultivation company based in Kelowna, BC.
In an announcement shared on May 20, the cannabis company says the acquisition will “significantly bolster” the company’s position as a cannabis tissue culture nursery and pathogen testing lab.
Klonetics operates a 25,000 sq. ft. indoor facility with a focus on custom cannabis solutions such as genetic licensing, white label services, HLVd testing, and much more.
Leveraging Klonetics’ existing licences and infrastructure, Segra plans to expand its nursery capacity and operational capabilities, utilizing its tissue culture and molecular laboratories. The company adds that the utilization of Klonetics’ flowering capacity will also support research and development, cultivar characterization, and performance validation of new genetics.
By integrating with Klonetics, Segra will elevate the quality and diversity of cannabis genetics available to all our clients—from small boutique growers to large-scale producers—equipping them with superior cultivars tailored to market demands, says Jamie Blundell, CEO of Segra International, adding that the collaboration will also enhance Segra’s agronomic services, ensuring customers receive comprehensive support to maximize yields and optimize cultivation practices.
Segra is in the process of initiating facility upgrades to ensure immediate operational readiness. This strategic alignment underscores Segra’s commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and plant quality, reinforcing its position as a trusted partner for cannabis cultivators and producers worldwide.
“The amalgamation with Klonetics marks an important milestone in our growth,” says Blundell. “By combining Klonetics’ facility with Segra’s advanced tissue culture, genetics, and global sales force, we are well-positioned to accelerate our growth and service to the global cannabis industry.”
Segra International, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, specializes in cannabis tissue culture, DNA fingerprinting, pathogen detection services, and flower brokering. Its proprietary technologies enable clients to enhance financial performance and mitigate disease risks while optimizing cultivation practices.
Segra operates industrial-scale laboratories producing Verified Segra Stock™ cannabis plantlets in collaboration with leading breeders, shipping to licensed producers in Canada and internationally.
Klonetics also offers several unique cultivars such as Animal Mints, White Hot Guava, Sherb Cream Pie, Mango Crush, Dream Catcher, Specimen X, Permanent Chimera, Ravens Revenge, Car Crash, Animal Tsunami, and Oreo Mint Kush.
In our company profile, we spoke with the folks at United Craft Growers in Weedon, Quebec.
In other cannabis news
The Globe and Mail Editorial Board published a piece on Ontario’s rules for cannabis retailers, based on the province’s interpretation of federal regulations that prohibit cannabis branding from being visible to minors.
GrowerIQ, a cannabis compliance and cultivation technology company, announced its selection to represent Team Canada on an upcoming trade mission to Thailand. Organized by Global Affairs Canada, this delegation showcases innovative Canadian companies poised for international growth. GrowerIQ says it is the only cannabis-related business selected to participate.
MediPharm Labs Corp.raised concerns about the six “dissident” nominees for its board of directors submitted by Apollo Technology Capital Corporation. MediPharm has proposed seven individuals for election to the Board, as well.
Rubicon Organics Inc. announced the appointment of Glen Ibbott, a former Chief Financial Officer of Aurora Cannabis Inc., as its Interim Chief Financial Officer, replacing current CFO Janis Risbin.
A man was arrested in a retail robbery investigation at a location near Sheppard Avenue East and Morningside Avenue in Toronto, where the suspect produced a knife and made a demand for cash and cannabis products. Google Maps lists two licensed stores near that intersection.
A new investigation unit run by Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) says they intercepted a large quantity of cannabis headed to an address in Calgary on April 30.
With the assistance of other AGLC investigative units and the Calgary Police Service, over 162 kilograms of cannabis were seized. AGLC says information provided as part of the investigation indicated the cannabis was meant for online sales.
Two BC residents were arrested at the Calgary home in the neighbourhood of Dover and were later released at the conclusion of a search warrant. Charges related to the Cannabis Act and the Criminal Code are pending. Law enforcement values the cannabis at $1.5 million, or about $10 a gram.
“This initial seizure underscores AGLC’s firm commitment to addressing the illegal online cannabis market. We are committed to a coordinated illegal cannabis enforcement program in Alberta to uphold the integrity of the legal cannabis framework in the province,” said Dave Berry, Chief Regulatory Officer, AGLC, in a press release.
Close-up of some of the intercepted packages. Image via AGLC.
In 2024, the Alberta government granted AGLC the authority to investigate illegal cannabis operations, noting that illegal cannabis funds organized crime, reduces government revenue, and unfairly disadvantages law-abiding Alberta retailers. The agency says there continue to be illegal online sellers operating websites in the province, often connected to organized crime groups.
“Illegal cannabis sales threaten public safety, fuel organized crime, and undermine law-abiding businesses across Alberta,” added Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction. That’s why in 2024, the government granted AGLC the authority to investigate these operations, and we are incredibly pleased with the work of their investigative unit. Their efforts are making a real difference in holding illegal sellers accountable and protecting Albertans.”
AGLC reminds the public that provincially licensed cannabis retailers are the only source of legal online cannabis sales in the province. The province currently lists 710 licensed cannabis stores. More than 300 of them are listed as offering online sales. The AGLC moved online sales from its own platform to private retailers in 2022.
In 2023-24, the Alberta government collected $210 million in cannabis tax revenue from $673 million in sales, reporting $10.8 million in net income after expenses.
Despite more than six years of legal, regulated cannabis in Canada, illicit online retailers continue to prosper, seemingly with minimal interference from federal authorities.
These unlicensed sellers operate without regulation, with limited retail expenses, and almost no tax obligations compared to the rigorous requirements expected of licensed stores.
Also in 2022, FINTRAC released a report that analyzed a sample of approximately 5,000 suspicious transaction reports (STRs) related to illicit cannabis activities received from March 2020 to March 2021. The majority of these reports involved the “suspected sale and distribution of illicit cannabis by way of unlicensed online dispensaries.” In addition, FINTRAC also identified STRs concerning “the suspected production of illicit cannabis.”
One of the owners of a cannabis company facing a quarter-million-dollar fine from Health Canada says he feels the company has been unfairly targeted.
Gene Bernaudo, the CEO of Ghost Drops—a company that recently filed legal action against the federal cannabis regulator—says they are challenging a $500,000 fine (later reduced to $250,000) because he feels they are being made an example of.
The industry has become bolder in the last few years in terms of pushing the boundaries when it comes to packaging and marketing, says Bernaudo, and he believes Health Canada needed to issue such a hefty fine to frighten the rest of the industry into compliance.
“I think they needed to make an example of someone. And they needed to make an example of a brand that is out there, that is well known. And I believe the goal is to show the rest of the industry, who have now started to cross that line, that Health Canada is watching.”
Bernaudo tells StratCann that Ghost Drops has been facing “ongoing” scrutiny on different regulatory issues from Health Canada since early 2022, relating to their brand and marketing.
This scrutiny has included issues with packaging and labelling such as a pink jar they released, to different marketing efforts the company has undertaken, like a charity event they held in Toronto, a golfing event, and culminating in their participation in a Halloween-themed event in Ontario in 2024 where Health Canada inspectors showed up at the event, confronting employees operating a branded booth.
He explains that the federal regulator then later scored the company based on these different compliance issues, arriving at the two $250,000 fines in early 2025, one for both he and another director at Ghost Drops. Health Canada later reduced that to a $250,000 fine.
Bernaudo says he and his partner are challenging this ruling by taking Health Canada to court because they feel the regulations themselves are overly restrictive and that the enforcement of those regulations is inconsistent, leading to an uneven playing field. He says that he was informed that Ghost Drops were 30% of the marketing complaints the regulator received, which he says could often be from competitors rather than the concerned public.
“I think they needed to make an example of someone. And they needed to make an example of a brand that is out there, that is well known. And I believe the goal is to show the rest of the industry, who have now started to cross that line, that Health Canada is watching.”
Gene Bernaudo, the CEO of Ghost Drops
“They are not really enforcing the rules in a way that is fair and equitable for the industry.”
Pointing to similar marketing approaches by other producers, brands, and retailers, Bernaudo asks why Ghost drops faced enforcement while it appears many of those companies have not. It’s complaint-driven, he says, and Health Canada should take into account where those complaints are coming from, which may often be from competitors.
He also says he’s not objecting to all rules, and acknowledges there is a need to keep cannabis and cannabis branding away from the eyes of young people. However, he does want rules that allow companies like Ghost Drops to have a way to more directly connect with consumers.
Without that, he argues, producers have very little option but to pay retailers for shelf space, something he says Ghost Drops has refused to do.
“I think the biggest thing in the industry, and what all these companies have a very difficult time achieving, is developing a direct relationship with the consumer.
“We do want to be a brand that is noticeable to consumers. It’s already difficult to compete with the packaging the way it is. You’re relying on the budtender to sell your product, and unless you’re paying a manager or a store owner, nobody’s pushing your product.
“There’s really no other way to get a consumer to understand or have any knowledge about the products you are putting in the market, what you‘re doing as a brand.
“All these other industries have an open window to do exactly what they want. But our hands are tied behind our back.”
The Halloween-themed event that Bernaudo says Health Canada inspectors attended, which ultimately resulted in the large fine, was called the Haunting of Hexwood, held on November 3, 2023, in Pickering, Ontario.
“They are not really enforcing the rules in a way that is fair and equitable for the industry.”
Gene Bernaudo, the CEO of Ghost Drops
Ghost Drops believes it did not engage in any rule-violation activities and, while the event was open to the public, it had several cannabis companies attending with promotional displays in an age-gated area. He also says that the event was billed as a 19-plus event by the event organizers, and only changed later, after Ghost Drops had already set up an activation space.
A Senior Media Relations Advisor for Health Canada told StratCann that in March 2024, Health Canada issued two notices of violation for non-compliant promotion and sponsorship by Ghost Drops at an all-ages event at which youth were present, for a total penalty amount of $500,000. They note this fine was later reduced to $250,000.
“The company requested a review of the notices of violation, as is permitted under the Cannabis Act. The review, which was completed in March 2025, determined the Company did commit the violations but reduced the total penalty amount to $250,000,” noted the media relations advisor.
“Health Canada is aware of the recent application for judicial review filed by Ghost Drops and will be responding in due course. As the matter is current before the court, Health Canada has no further comment at this time.”
The federal Cannabis Act contains several enforcement tools that the regulator can consider when determining the appropriate actions to prevent or address non-compliance. These tools range from calls and/or letters, all the way up to suspension or cancellation of a federal licence, the issuance of a ministerial order, or even the issuance of administrative monetary penalties (AMP) (up to $1 million).
A 19+ MMA event at the Rebel Nightclub in Toronto. Image credit: Max Kirsh
Information on the approach to AMPs under the Cannabis Act was published in September 2019 and can be found here. Penalties are determined based on various factors such as: the licence holder’s history of compliance or non-compliance with the provisions of the Act or regulations, the nature and scope of the violation, whether the person made reasonable efforts to mitigate or reverse the effects of the violation, and whether the person derived any competitive or economic benefit from the violation.
Based on the individual circumstances of the alleged violation, each determining factor is then calculated using a score, and a cumulative score is determined.
Between October 17, 2018 and March 31, 2024, Health Canada assessed 1,541 cases of potential non-compliance related to promotions. This resulted in 648 actions taken, the vast majority of which were compliance emails, letters, or compliance promotion emails or calls.
Between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, Health Canada assessed 243 cases of potential non-compliance related to promotions. This resulted in 134 actions with regulated parties, which may include one or more of the following: warning letters, compliance emails or letters.
Despite all of this activity, as of the end of March 2024, the federal agency has only issued two Notice of Violations (NOV) associated with potential violations of promotion prohibitions since October 17, 2018.
Health Canada also says that they conducted five inspections at promotional events from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019: two in Toronto, one in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, one in Victoria, BC, and one in Regina.
The federal Cannabis Act includes several enforcement tools that can be considered when deciding on the appropriate enforcement actions to prevent or address non-compliance. While these tools do include options, from calls and/or letters to suspension or cancellation of a federal licence, the issuance of a ministerial order, or the issuance of administrative monetary penalties (AMP) of up to $1 million, the federal government tends to take a soft-touch approach, focusing more on first informing licence holders of their potential violations of federal rules before escalating to more significant penalties.
Health Canada uses information from both internal and external sources to help identify any possible risks to public health and public safety. However, a spokesperson for the agency told StratCann in the past that they do not collect data that shows how they became aware of any potential issues.
Featured image via Ghost Drops. Image credit: Max Kirsh
A recent study says cannabis legalization in Canada has been successful at shifting demand from the illegal to legal markets.
The study, published in the International Journal of Drug Policy, was conducted by researchers in Canada, the US, and the UK. They analyzed data from Statistics Canada’s annual Canadian Community Health Survey, comparing it with data on dollars spent in the legal and illegal market from 5,656 consumers who took part in a national survey.
The paper concludes that there is evidence of “substantial transition in expenditures from the illegal to the legal market” in the first five years since non-medical cannabis sales were made legal in Canada in 2018.
Researchers also say the estimated expenditures from legal sources were within just two percentage points of the actual retail sales data from the federal government’s tracking system, further confirming the accuracy of their findings.
For example, in the 12-month period ending in September 2022, the total amount Canadians spent on cannabis was estimated at $6.72 billion, including $5.23 billion from legal sources and $1.49 billion from illegal sources, for an estimated legal market capture of 78%.
In 2022, dried flower accounted for 55% of total legal expenditures, while concentrates accounted for 12%, followed by oral liquids (11%), vaping liquids (10%), and edibles (8%, excluding drinks). An additional 2% was spent on cannabis plants and seeds.
The paper also extensively discusses different methods of gathering and analyzing cannabis consumer choices, with a focus on demand-based estimates versus supply-side estimates. Gathering consumer habits through federal surveys in the lead up to legalization also provides a baseline for better understanding user trends over time.
Although estimating the size of and sales within the illicit market is much more complex than in the legal, regulated market, such an approach provides an overview that can provide a better understanding of these trends. However, the researchers noted that the expanding array of products on the market in recent years that were not available in the illicit market prior to legalization can muddy such estimates.
To address some of these gaps, researchers also used novel data from the International Cannabis Policy Survey (ICPS) to estimate the type and frequency of cannabis products used.
Adoption of the legal market differs by province, which the paper says should be addressed in future research.
Two councillors in Victoria, BC,put a motion to the council to look into allowing cannabis stores to operate with just one employee. The motion was defeated. Council’s debate on the issue can be viewed here.
Organigram Global Inc.announced it was named Exporter of the Year by Opportunities New Brunswick as part of the 2025 New Brunswick Export Awards. The company says it has achieved $50 million in international cannabis shipped sales and nearly $885 million in total shipped sales since 2020.
Glen Simard, a Manitoba MLA, touredOrganigram’s edibles production facility in Winnipeg.
High Tide CEO Raj Goverposted a selfie with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, writing that “High Tide remains committed to working with all levels of government to combat the illicit cannabis market and support a thriving legal industry.” High Tide’s Omar Khanposted a similar pic with the Diplomat Consulting team, also referencing the Independent Retail Cannabis Collective.
Khan also posted a pic thanking the AGLC and Service Alberta senior leadership for engaging with representatives from across Alberta’s legal cannabis sector.
High Tide Inc.also announced a newCanna Cabana location in Cornwall, Ontario, opening May 12. This opening brings High Tide’s total store count to 197 Canna Cabana-branded locations across Canada, and 81 in the province of Ontario.
Greenway Greenhouse Cannabis Corporation applied to Health Canada for new, dedicated propagation space at its Leamington, Ontario facility. The company’s revenue per gram has steadily increased for six straight quarters, from $0.84 to $1.58 per gram.
Amid a wave of opposition to licenses for cannabis stores being issued after years of planning, there are signs the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (Kahnawake) (MCK) may be reconsidering, reports The Spec. The Kahnawà:ke Cannabis Control Board is currently considering applications from community members who want to open cannabis stores on the territory. StratCann first spoke with the lead for the cannabis file for the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK) about the community’s approach in 2021.
Dentons highlighted that the US Department of Homeland Security revoked a removal order against the Canadian CEO of a cannabis harvesting equipment company, Eteros Technologies USA Inc., that StratCann reported on earlier this year. The US Department of Homeland Security has now asked a federal judge to dismiss the case, arguing it is moot because the removal order has been vacated and the ban lifted.
GrowerIQ announced its selection to represent Team Canada on the upcoming trade mission to Thailand. Organized by Global Affairs Canada, this high-level delegation showcases innovative Canadian companies poised for international growth. GrowerIQ says it’s the only cannabis-related business selected to participate.
A new report says that cannabis use among young people in Yukon is down since legalization began. Among rural youth, 29% reported cannabis use in the past 30 days in 2022, down from 38% in 2018. For urban youth, the rate decreased from 22% in 2018 to 18% in 2022.
A Calgary judge denied a homeowner’s plea for the court to force his insurance company to cover a liability claim for a house fire he caused by making BHO in his garage.
The Sûreté du Québec’s Contraband Investigation Service conducted a cannabis production operation at production sites with plants being grown and dried, at various stages of their growth. Police seized a hash press, 200g of hash, 50kg of cannabis, production equipment, a handgun, cocaine, and cash.
An Ontario man was arrested while trying to board the ferry to Newfoundland with 200 cannabis resin vape products, eight pounds of cannabis, unstamped tobacco products, and more than $3,500 in cash.
A major anti-drug operation took place in early May in France and Quebecagainst a Canadian criminal group suspected of having imported three tons of cannabis into Europe. “The quality of the product is quite remarkable for the narcotics world, since the quality of weed in Canada is clearly very, very good,” noted Lieutenant-Colonel Frédéric Colard, second-in-command of the Air Transport Gendarmerie’s research section.
The Pennsylvania House advanced a bill legalizing recreational cannabis. The bill now goes to the state Senate. Democrats have championed the issue, while Republicans have pushed back. Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County, a leading Republican on the issue, said on social media after the vote that there is “no path forward in the Senate for a state store model for adult-use cannabis.”
And finally, California Governor Gavin Newsom’s office says the state has essentially eradicated hemp-derived THC products from alcohol sellers after it instituted an emergency ban in September.
A new cannabis industry association in Australia is calling on the federal government to do more to protect the country’s fledgling cannabis industry from a wave of imports from countries like Canada.
The newly formed Australian Cannabis Cultivators Guild, which represents a majority of the country’s licensed cannabis producers, recently sent a letter to the federal health minister warning that without the government’s assistance, the industry faces dire times in the near future.
Although some media in Australia have framed the issue as one specifically with cannabis coming from the Canadian market, Cade Turland, the director at Hale Farm in Tasmania, who is a member of the Guild, says the issue they are highlighting is one relating to all imports, not just Canada.
Growers like him in Australia, he says, can’t compete with products coming into the legal market from places like South Africa, Thailand, Colombia, Uruguay, Portugal, and Canada. Not only can these countries often produce at a lower price than Australian growers, but the regulatory burden in Australia adds to this financial imbalance.
Turland says he thinks the Australian government can ease that regulatory burden by learning some lessons from the Canadian market, particularly how Canada has “micro” licenses that allow for a less costly facility.
In addition, he notes how the Canadian industry, specifically, which has supplied the bulk of the cannabis sold in the Australian market since 2017, has enjoyed a sort of incubation period in which it could get up to speed without outside pressure from imports.
“Canada is not the problem, I think the regulations are a heavy burden here, that’s the real problem,” Turland tells StratCann. “And Canada is ultimately well-capitalized, and it had ten years longer in the market than us. We haven’t had time to develop.”
This means that those with the skillset in Australia, he explains, haven’t been able to find their way into the market.
“As an industry operator, we do believe there should be easier access for participants who are lower risk. We believe that is going to be a core part of servicing the market here.”
At Hale Farms, he grows both indoors and outdoors, mainly for minor cannabinoids for the purpose of solventless extraction. Although his production costs should be relatively low with a reliance on outdoor production, the cost and time to get the facility up and running, and the day-to-day operations, make it incredibly capital-intensive.
In addition, international competition means companies don’t have the opportunity of the kind of learning curve the Canadian industry enjoys.
“The reality is, the Canadian market is buffered from the global markets because you don’t allow imports, continues Turland. “We are the dumping ground of the entire world. We have products here from countries where our wages are ten times higher. We can’t compete with Thailand because their general labour costs are much lower.”
In addition, companies operating in Thailand, he says, can very easily set up with a far lower regulatory burden and quickly sell into the Australian market. Turland and the Guild in general want to see the Australian government address this uneven playing field or face what they say is the impending implosion of the country’s ability to supply its own medical industry.
Mathew Dent, the director of cultivation at Wangara Cultivation Co. in Queensland, Australia, agrees that the main issue concerning the producers he talks to is the influx of product from Thailand, where he says it’s very easy to quickly set up a licence at minimal cost and quickly send products into Australia.
Like Turland, he says the import issue is making it difficult for Australian producers to have the time to sort out internal issues like the Canadian industry had.
“I don’t think anyone would have an issue competing with Canada on quality once everything is sorted, but I would just invite Canadians to consider if they had the same level of competition in their market,” says Dent. “The Canadian market was protected from day one from imports. How would the market have fared if they didn’t have that time to figure out their systems before competing with a country like Thailand that can pay people a dollar a day?”
He notes that imports from Canada helped ensure Australians had access to medical cannabis at a time the local industry was not yet ready, but also highlights the lack of reciprocity from the Canadian market, which doesn’t, in practice, allow cannabis imports into the commercial medical market.
“We’ve definitely come a long way quality-wise, but in the beginning, the reality is we would not have been able to serve Australian patients without Canadian imports. However, it doesn’t take away from the fact that we’re not dealing with a level playing field because of that import ruling on the Canadian side. Australia hasn’t had that luxury.”
“But the issues we’re seeing now with countries like Thailand flooding the market, that’s the real concern for us. We’re fine with Canada because it’s been there all along, and you guys ask a fair price for a fair product, but this increased pressure from Thailand’s market is doubling down on how difficult it is to survive here in Australia.”
Canada does allow imports of cannabis for medical purposes or research purposes from countries like Australia, but these are on a very limited basis. Medical supply is only authorized in cases where the domestic supply is not sufficient.
As of September 2024, Health Canada, the federal regulatory authority for cannabis, had only endorsed about 38 kilograms of dried cannabis flower and 59 litres of cannabis oil for import, all for scientific purposes. None were for medical purposes.
At the same time, the regulator endorsed about 295,934 kilograms of dried cannabis for export and 52,662 litres of cannabis oil for export. Much of that has been to Australia.
Australia legalized medical cannabis in 2016, and by 2017, Canadian cannabis companies were announcing exports of cannabis oil and flower to the country. However, many of these initial shipments were relatively small (just the equivalent of 200 grams in 2017).
Based on the most recently available figures, by 2021, Canadian companies exported nearly 5,800 kg of cannabis to Australia; by 2023, that figure was over 34,000 kg out of a total of 42,104 kg.
Cannabis exports have helped alleviate pressure on what has grown into a significant oversupply of cannabis in the domestic medical and non-medical markets. As exports increased, emptying vaults in small and large producers alike, domestic prices began to creep back up after years of steady declines, buoying many growers struggling with razor-thin margins.
Many Australian cannabis companies, like some in Israel, say this makes it too hard for domestic companies to get a foothold in their own market. In late 2024, some told the country’s Sydney Morning Herald that they are struggling to compete with what some characterize as product “dumping”.
These mirror arguments levied by Israel’s Minister of Economy, who has threatened hefty tariffs of up to 165% on Cannabis coming from Canada.
The concern some producers raise in both of these countries is that the large surplus of cannabis in the Canadian market has led to some Canadian companies offloading large quantities of older supply into the export market that they cannot sell domestically.
In the case of Israel, a report from the Minister of Economy argued that Canadian companies have been selling cannabis at below market prices, something disputed not only by the Canadian cannabis industry but also by others in the Israeli industry and even other Israeli government agencies, including the Health Minister.
The Australian government does not appear to have waded into the fray, at least not yet.
Trevor Steinthal, the chief product officer at Olistica Health, a product development and procurement company in the Australian medical market, says any action from the federal government is unlikely. Too much of the Australian industry relies on imports from countries like Canada to impose any such limits, he argues.
It’s created a catch-22 where the Australian industry needs imports, but their reliance on imports means the domestic industry cannot get a foothold.
“You’re looking at arguably the most mature adult-use and medical marketplace in the world in Canada,” Steinthal tells StratCann. “There is a breadth of genetic variability and cultivars available, grown at a top level and at scale, which makes it extremely affordable for the importation of high-quality, what I would call triple and quad product coming out of Canada.
“So if you’re a brand here in Australia and you’re looking to get a leg up, it’s getting very noisy and very crowded.”
“I’m starting to see some [Australian] growers competing in terms of quality and price, especially when you add in everything it takes to get product here, but there isn’t a ton of it yet,” he adds. “Literally speaking, there might be a couple tons.”
“I can get what I would consider top-tier cannabis landed for a dollar less than I would pay here [in Australia] of comparable quality with a heck of a lot more choice,” he later adds. “That’s what they’re up against.”
Although he’s not a part of the Guild, Chris Nasr at Nectar Brands, which connects patients with physicians, agrees that without some kind of government assistance, the industry in fledgling cannabis Australia is in trouble.
“Free trade is a part of any industry, but to support our industry actually getting off the ground and being able to play out its role in domestic and global supply chains, I think something needs to be done to some degree.”
“Australian producers want to compete head-to-head, and the opportunity to do so,” he adds. “But the framework of the market makes it difficult to obtain.”
For Turland, back at Hale Farms, who has helped spearhead much of the Guild’s efforts thus far, the issue isn’t just one that impacts Australians. Canadian producers are now having to compete in the international cannabis market with countries like Thailand and many others who can sell at a much lower cost than Canada, too.
“Canada should care. Australians will stop buying Canadian exports if they can buy it all from Thailand. The pricing is way cheaper out of Thailand than it is out of Canada. It’s going to blow everyone out of the water.”
“This isn’t about getting rid of all imports,” he emphasizes. “This is because there needs to be some form of Australian-supply-first policy given out. We have the permitted capacity to fill all of the demand in the country.”
The owners of a cannabis store in Calgary have won an appeal of a decision to refuse an application based on a distance requirement from a nearby school that opened two years after the store opened.
The store, listed as licensed by the Alberta government since 2020, operated without interruption until May 10, 2024, when the Development Authority of the City of Calgary issued an infraction notice for operating within 150 metres of a school.
Court records say the store, Magic Buds, located at 2105-19605 Walden Boulevard SE in Calgary, operated with no problem for 25 months with no notice that its development permits had expired. The store had continued to renew its business licence annually.
After the development permit had expired—but before the infraction notice was issued—the city’s development authority approved a private school, Bearspaw Christian School, at 20200 Walden Boulevard SE, 82.31 metres from Magic Buds, requiring a relaxation of 67.69 metres.
The Development Authority also approved a daycare next to the store location, placing it within a 10-metre setback identified in Alberta’s Cannabis Store Guidelines.
Following this, the owners of Magic Buds had sought a development permit, but in January, the city refused the application of Jasvir Korotane, on behalf of Magic Buds, for a Change of Use to Cannabis Store at that location in the community of Walden.
The Development Authority had refused the application due to non-compliance with the 150-metre minimum separation distance from a private school, as required by the Land Use Bylaw. The relaxation of the distance requirement would have been by more than 45% from the 150 metres. The land use bylaw says the Development Authority is not authorized to grant the relaxation and is therefore required to refuse the application if the proposed separation is less than 90 percent of the required 150-metre distance, even though there were no objections to the application.
Screenshot from Google Maps shows the distance between the school and cannabis store
The cannabis store owner—who operates two locations in Calgary, including the Walden Boulevard location—submitted that the retail location is otherwise compliant with the bylaw and that the school parcel in question is “unusually large,” which they argued should be considered in assessing the requested relaxation.
The store owners noted, through legal counsel, that a liquor store is operating in the same commercial plaza where the cannabis store is located. It was already in operation prior to the approval of the school and has continued to operate since that time.
The school building is also set back an additional 195 metres, meaning the actual physical separation between the store and the school building is over 275 metres. The properties are also separated by a major four-lane roadway with significant traffic volume.
The board of appeal found that there is no evidence of any negative community impact, and the school operator did not oppose the development.
Because of this, the store owner’s appeal was granted, finding that the proposed cannabis store is compatible with the surrounding area and aligns with the city’s planning objectives.
The decision of the development authority to refuse the application was overturned, and a development permit shall be issued, subject to certain conditions.
The newest quarterly wholesale cannabis figures from the BCLDB show the market continuing to slow following six years of rapid growth.
Direct delivery sales declined somewhat in the first three months of 2025, while disposable cannabis vapes continue to show meteoric growth.
Wholesale cannabis sales in BC in the first three months of 2025 (Q4 2024) were $144 million, up 9% from the same period in 2023, but down slightly from the previous quarter ($146.9 million).
The province wholesaled 37,994,784 grams of cannabis in January, February, and March 2025. The average price of all cannabis products stayed level at $3.79 per gram, after several consecutive quarters of declines. The average price of dried flower was $3.15 a gram, a one-cent increase from a historic low set in the previous quarter.
At the end of the reporting period, there were 513 retail cannabis stores in BC, up from 512 in the previous quarter and 501 in Q4 2023.
Seven-gram SKUs showed the most year-over-year growth in the first three months of 2025. One gram and 3.5 gram SKUs saw declines in terms of dollars and grams sold, while lower-priced (>$5/gram) 7-gram SKUs again showed an increase, as 14-gram SKUs under $3 a gram and over $5 a gram.
One-ounce SKUs of dried flower showed modest growth for those priced below $3 a gram, but declined for those above that price per gram.
Wholesale sales of edibles and beverages also showed increases (20% and 15% sales YOY volume, respectively, and 15% and 35% units sold).
Vape pens and pre-rolls also showed growth, while ingestible extracts (oils and caps) and seeds declined, although this year-over-year decline was driven by the disappearance of products like Jolts and Glitches. Cannabis topicals showed very modest increases.
Disposable or All-In-One (AIO) vape pens again showed a massive increase in sales in the most recent reporting period, with a 171.4% increase in sales and 92.7% in terms of units sold compared to the first three months of 2024. Units of AIOs sold in the first three months of 2025 (278,489) increased 7% compared to the last three months of 2024.
Despite this rapid growth, this is still a much smaller market share than the 510 vape market, with 977,769 units sold in the first three months of 2025, with $23 million in wholesale sales.
Sales through BC’s Direct Delivery program, which allows some small-scale BC cannabis companies to ship directly to retailers, declined year-over-year and in comparison to the previous quarter.
There were 490,887 grams of cannabis sold through the program in the first three months of 2025, down 18.5% from the same period in the previous year and down 12.9% from the previous quarter.
This also brought wholesale sales figures down, with a 19.8% YOY decline and a 6% decline from the last three months of 2024.
Unlike the overall pricing trend of cannabis sold in BC, the per gram price in BC’s direct delivery program increased 1.6% YOY to $4.87 a gram and a 6% increase from the previous quarter.
The price of dried flower sold through the program also increased, up 1.9% YOY to $4.50 a gram, and a 13.1% increase from the previous quarter.
May 1 was the first day Manitobans were legally allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants at home. CTV News spoke with TobaGrown’sJesse Lavoie about the new law and the exclusion of outdoor plants. Seeds are expected to be available for sale by June.
The Flatlander also spoke with Lavoie, as well as Melanie Bekevich, vice-president of the Retail Cannabis Council of Manitoba and co-owner of Winnipeg retailer Mistik Cannabis Co. The official Opposition absurdly accused the NDP of diverting limited police resources from more pressing issues by bringing in new homegrown rules.
City News spoke with Alena Jenkins of Five Point Cannabis in Calgary about the city now allowing cannabis sales at age-gated events. and CBC spoke with the deputy chief of business safety Michael Briegel, city councillor Penner, and Nathan Mison of Diplomat Consulting. The changes will come into effect on May 15.
Ontario has introduced new legislation that would prohibit a landlord from knowingly allowing their property to be used in relation to unlicensed cannabis activities. h/t to Harrison Jordan for the heads up.
An Alberta court signed the discharge order in the plan of compromise or arrangement of Delta 9 Cannabis Inc., Delta 9 Logistics Inc., Delta 9 Lifestyle Cannabis Clinic Inc., Delta 9 Cannabis Store Inc., and Residual Co.
The stay period for the insolvency case for True North Cannabis Co. and its associated businesses has been extended to June 6, 2025, and a further hearing is scheduled for May 21, 2025.
The Monitor’s Report dated April 25 for 420 Premium Markets Ltd. and its associated companies as part of its CCAA proceedings supported an extension of the Stay Periods from May 23, 2025, to June 30, 2025.
Canadians need a Prime Minister with both a bold economic plan and the courage to be an unapologetic champion of homegrown industries, including the booming legal cannabis sector, writes Organigram CEO Beena Goldenberg.
High Tide Inc. says that it generated $6.8 million in total retail gross revenues from April 17, 2025 through April 20, 2025 (4/20 Long Weekend) across all retail platforms, representing a 10% increase from the same timeframe in the previous week.
In BC, Kelowna city council was unable to come to a consensus on a cannabis retail application after two separate votes ended in 4-4 ties. The vote effectively closes the file, meaning the applicant must wait six months to resubmit the application in its present form. However, with one councillor absent, it could be brought back for reconsideration sooner.
Police are investigating after an armed robbery at a cannabis store in Oshawa. On Thursday, April 24, 2025, at approximately 9:00 p.m., members of Central East Division responded to a robbery at Twisted Root cannabis store, located at 191 Bloor Street East.
On April 28, the Kahnawà:ke Legislative Commission (KLC) advised the community that the Kahnawà:ke Cannabis Control Board (KCCB) submitted an application request on April 11, 2025, to create a regulation for inspector(s), pursuant to Section 23.1 (y) of the Kahnawà:ke Cannabis Control Law (KCCL). The Technical Drafting Committee (TDC) will draft the regulation and consult with stakeholders and community members. Further information will be provided once the Communication Plan is finalized.
A new research paper that looks at the lessons learned from cannabis compassion clubs and medical dispensaries in British Columbia and warns of the epistemic erasure at risk with their disappearance.
Aurora Cannabis Inc. announced the completion of a multi-year investment of $3 million in improvements to its manufacturing facility in Pemberton, British Columbia: the Aurora Alpine site.
If the cannabis industry continues invoking the entourage effectfor marketing and product differentiation, then it should support and contribute to research that furthers the state of evidence, writes Jonathan Simone, Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences at Brock University.
The RAND Corporation looked at the Netherlands’ current coffee shop supply experiment and contrasted the approach to other models worldwide, including Canada.
Two men travelling from Toronto were caught at Glasgow Airport in Scotland with 60 kg of cannabis. Police placed the street value of the product at about C$18 a gram, or about £10. The pair, both from England, are due to be sentenced on May 28 in Edinburgh.
And finally, Trump’s pick to lead the US DEA says examining a proposal to federally reschedule cannabis will be “one of my first priorities” if he’s confirmed for the role, saying it’s “time to move forward” on the stalled process. The move appears to have caused a slight uptick among some of the weed pubcos, but the nominee repeatedly declined to commit to supporting the specific proposed rule to move cannabis from Schedule I to Schedule III of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) that was initiated under the Biden administration.
One of the new locations is in Cloverdale at 5828 176 St, while the second is in North Surrey at 104-12499 88 Ave. The city had initially planned for up to 12 locations.
As with the first nine locations, the council voted 5-4 on each of the nine applications, with councillors Mandeep Nagra, Rob Stutt, Gordon Hepner, and Mayor Brenda Locke all voting against both locations.
Council now sends their recommendations to the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch for final approval to issue a Cannabis Retail Store License. (h/t Surrey Now-Leader)
BC currently lists 534 cannabis stores in the province, including 39 BC Cannabis Store locations. Surrey is BC’s second-largest municipality, with a population of close to 700,000 people.
Richmond, BC, located west of Surrey and home to more than 200,000 people, also does not allow any cannabis retailers.
Over the past six years, many cannabis retailers have located themselves along Surrey’s border in neighbouring municipalities like Langley and Vancouver.
Canada’s cannabis job market continues to grow, with new opportunities emerging across the country. In our May 2025 job posting roundup, you’ll find roles in retail, cultivation, production, brand representation, and more.
As the industry evolves, companies are actively seeking experienced and motivated professionals to join their teams, alongside new job seekers entering the market. From behind-the-scenes production work to customer-facing sales positions, a wide range of paths are available.
Check out the latest job openings below and see where your next opportunity might be.
British Columbia
Elevate Wellness Inc. in Port Coquitlam is looking for a Machine Operator.
BC Cannabis Stores is hiring for an Auxiliary Posting in Abbotsford.
White Ash Group is looking for an Account Manager in Vancouver.
Cannabis NB has announced two new store openings, with one more set to open in early June, bringing the total number of provincially run cannabis stores in the province to 30.
The first of the three, located in Saint John, opened on Friday at 147 McAllister Dr. The second, located in Monton at 824 Mountain Rd, opened earlier this week. The third, located at 1735 Hanwell Rd. in Hanwell, is expected to open in June.
The Hanwell store will be the thirtieth Cannabis NB location in the province. The three locations are for underserved parts of the province, says the agency.
“By offering quality cannabis products, regulated and approved by Health Canada, we are fulfilling Cannabis NB’s goal of educating consumers about the responsible use of cannabis, and working to reduce the illicit market,” said Lori Stickles, CEO of Cannabis NB, in a Tuesday news release, as reported by CTV News.
New Brunswick also has nine privately-run cannabis stores*, supplied through the provincial distribution system, and seven farmgate locations in which federal cannabis producers also operate their own retail store, on-site. A tenth store recently opened, but another private store, Cost Cannabis in Blackville, recently closed.
Cannabis sales in New Brunswick were $25.4 million in the three months ended December 29, 2024 (Q3 2024).
Sales in New Brunswick were up 6.3% year-over-year but declined from the $27 million worth of cannabis sold in the three months ended September 29, 2024.
Cannabis NB reported 398,000 transactions in the most recent quarter, with an average ticket size of $59.91. This represents a year-over-year increase from more than 382,000 transactions, but a decline in the average ticket size to $62.37.
In its 2024-2026 Strategic Plan, the provincial cannabis agency also says it’s looking to increase opportunities for private sector participation in the legal cannabis market in New Brunswick and explore possible options for “on-site consumption opportunities” that can increase legal access and “meet the needs of current and potential customers.”
A recent annual report from Cannabis NB shows that while dried cannabis flower continues to make up the majority of sales, its market share, like in many other provincial markets, is shrinking as concentrate sales increase. New Brunswickers prefer more “convenient” cannabis products as the market continues to shift to products like vape pens, concentrates, and pre-rolls, especially infused pre-rolls, notes the report.
Note: This article has been edited to include info about the closure of the Cost Canna Blackville location.
CanadaBis Capital Inc. announced on April 28 that CanadaBis (Stigma Grow) had terminated a proposed deal in which another cannabis company, Simply Solventless Concentrates, would acquire CanadaBis.
Under the initial acquisition agreement, dated March 11, 2025, Simply Solventless (SSC) would have acquired all of the issued and outstanding common shares of CanadaBis (Stigma).
CanadaBis is the parent company of cannabis brands such as Stigma Grow and Dab Bods, as well as companies like Stigma Roots, Goldstream Cannabis, and the INDICAtive Collection.
Simply Solventless had estimated that the deal would have made the company rank second and fifth in the Canadian concentrates and pre-roll categories, respectively, excluding Quebec.
CanadaBis states that recent information constitutes an “SCC Material Adverse Change” under the terms of the agreement with SSC, and management believes it’s in the best interest of CanadaBis’s shareholders and stakeholders to terminate it.
In a press release on April 30, Jeff Swainson, President and CEO of SSC said the company is objects to the mover and is pursing legal action.
“SSC refutes that any material adverse change has happened to our business and SSC is pursuing all legal remedies against CanadaBis, including payment of a $1.2 million break fee, for the invalid termination of the Arrangement Agreement. CanadaBis raised $4.1 million capital after the Arrangement Agreement was announced, while SSC incurred cost and worked in good faith to close the transaction. We are not deterred, and upon filing our financial statements we are steadfastly committed to our business plan.”
This article has been edited to include Swainson’s comment.
CanadaBis Capital Inc. reported gross revenue of $9 million and net revenue of $4.9 million for the three months ended January 31, 2025 (Q2 2025), with net income and comprehensive income of $96,917.
Net revenue was up 27% year-over-year from $7.1 million in Q2 2024. The company incurred $4.1 million in excise taxes in the most recent quarter, representing a rate of 45% of sales.
The company operates a 66,000-square-foot facility, of which approximately 44,000 square feet of the building has been developed and equipped for the capacity to grow 225 kg of cannabis per year. The majority of its footprint is equipped and being used for the production of cannabis products such as extracts and infused pre-rolls.
Simply Solventless recently projected consolidated Q1 2025 net income and comprehensive income of approximately $9.4 million, including an anticipated $7 million purchase gain on the acquisition Humble (formerly Delta 9 Bio Tech), which closed on February 28, 2025 and will be reported in the financial results for the period ending March 31, 2025.
Cannabis brand Ghost Drops says it has formally filed legal action against Health Canada for what it argues are unfair limitations on the company’s right to freedom of expression and the ability to engage in meaningful, competitive commerce due to Canada’s restrictions on the marketing of cannabis products.
The legal challenge, filed April 4, 2025, said Ghost Drops in a press release shared early Tuesday, April 29, is the result of a $500,000 fine imposed on the company by Health Canada for alleged breaches of the Cannabis Act’s restrictive marketing rules. Health Canada says the initial $500,000 fine was reduced to $250,000.
The company alleges that the half-million-dollar fine was the result of an investigation launched following public complaints about the company’s marketing efforts in 2023. Ghost Drops maintains that these accusations are exaggerated and highlight a “disproportionate” amount of enforcement.
The company’s president and founder, John Dean Durante, states that Ghost Drops is the first to receive such an “arbitrary” fine, arguing that the approach highlights inconsistency on the part of the federal regulator.
“We are the epitome of what the Cannabis Act was designed to achieve,” said Durante in a press release. “We were a legacy cannabis brand which transitioned to a legal cannabis business. We employed dozens of people, generated millions in tax revenue for our government while helping convert thousands of legacy consumers to legal tax paying consumers.”
“We didn’t do anything different from what our competitors do. Did we do it better?” he asks. “Maybe? But allegedly violating an unconstitutional marketing regulation is a far cry from endangering human health.”
Ghost Drops first launched as a legacy brand, pre-legalization, before officially entering the legal cannabis market in Canada in 2021. The company closed a retail location in 2023 after acquiring a production licence in 2022. The company has sold its branded products in the Canadian marketplace by entering into supply agreements with different Canadian growers.
Although the press release does not provide specifics about the marketing actions that led to the large fine, the company maintains that it was focusing on customer experience, data analysis, and optimization, while leveraging digital marketing channels such as SEO, social media, and email marketing, including influencer marketing and affiliate programs. It also argues that other companies are running similar campaigns and not facing any such enforcement actions.
The brand argues that its fine is punitive in nature and that it was treated unfairly, which negatively impacted its ability to effectively compete in the marketplace.
“The cannabis industry lacks organized lobbying power that other regulated industries possess. This provides regulators broad discretion when interpreting and enforcing regulations,” said Ghost Drops CEO Gene Bernaudo in the same press release. “Without well-established advocacy groups to represent their interests, cannabis businesses often find themselves at the mercy of regulators who may apply rules based on their individual interpretations rather than consistent industry standards.
“This lack of coherent representation creates uncertainty and variability in enforcement, which can lead to inconsistent application of the law. As a result, businesses within the cannabis sector often navigate an unpredictable regulatory landscape, making compliance challenging and fostering an environment where some players may face stricter scrutiny than others based solely on regulatory whims.”
Ghost Drops has enlisted Kirk Tousaw, a lawyer well-known in the cannabis space, to advocate on their behalf. Tousaw works in the industry and, in the past, led a successful court challenge against what was an effective ban against cannabis edibles in 2015.
“I think it is clear that the marketing restrictions violate the commercial free speech rights protected by section 2 of the Charter,” said Tousaw. “The real issue for trial will be whether the government is entitled to override those rights and, if so, whether the rules as applied minimally impair those critical freedoms in a way that is rationally connected and proportionate to the government’s goals. We say that cannabis, a far safer product than alcohol, can’t be treated in such a heavy-handed way by the government.”
Ghost Drops argues that it should be allowed to engage in the same kinds of marketing practices used by alcohol and pharmaceutical drug manufacturers.
A Senior Media Relations Advisor for Health Canada told StratCann that in March 2024, Health Canada issued two notices of violation for non-compliant promotion and sponsorship by Ghost Drops at an all ages event at which youth were present, for a total penalty amount of $500,000.
“The company requested a review of the notices of violation, as is permitted under the Cannabis Act. The review, which was completed in March 2025, determined the Company did commit the violations but reduced the total penalty amount to $250,000,” noted the media relations advisor, adding: “Health Canada is aware of the recent application for judicial review filed by Ghost Drops and will be responding in due course. As the matter is current before the court, Health Canada has no further comment at this time.”
Health Canada also confirms with StratCann that the Notices of Violation issued to Ghost Drops are the first administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) imposed under the Cannabis Act.
The notice of application filed by Ghost Drops says that the event in question was called the Haunting of Hexwood, held on November 3, 2023 in Pickering Ontario. Ghost Drops says it believes it did not engage in any rule-violation activities and, while the event was open to the public at large, had several cannabis companies attending with promotional displays in an age-gated area.
The federal Cannabis Act contains several enforcement tools that the regulator can consider when determining the appropriate actions to prevent or address non-compliance. These tools range from calls and/or letters, all the way up to suspension or cancellation of a federal licence, the issuance of a ministerial order, or even the issuance of administrative monetary penalties (AMP) (up to $1 million).
Information on the approach to AMPs under the Cannabis Act was published in September 2019 and can be found here. Penalties are determined based on various factors such as , The licence holder’s history of compliance or non-compliance with the provisions of the Act or regulations, the nature and scope of the violation, whether the person made reasonable efforts to mitigate or reverse the effects of the violation, and whether the person derived any competitive or economic benefit from the violation.
Based on the individual circumstances of the alleged violation, each determining factor is then calculated using a score, and a cumulative score is determined.
Between October 17, 2018 and March 31, 2024, Health Canada assessed 1,541 cases of potential non-compliance related to promotions. This resulted in 648 actions taken, the vast majority of which were compliance emails, letters, or compliance promotion emails or calls.
Between April 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024, Health Canada assessed 243 cases of potential non-compliance related to promotions. This resulted in 134 actions with regulated parties, which may include one or more of the following: warning letters, compliance emails or letters.
Despite all of this activity, as of the end of March 2024, the federal agency has only issued two Notice of Violations (NOV) associated with potential violations of promotion prohibitions since October 17, 2018.
Health Canada also says that they conducted five inspections at promotional events from April 1, 2018, to March 31, 2019, two in Toronto, one in Oro-Medonte, Ontario, one in Victoria, BC, and one in Regina.
The federal Cannabis Act includes several enforcement tools that can be considered when deciding on the appropriate enforcement actions to prevent or address non-compliance. While these tools do include options, from calls and/or letters to suspension or cancellation of a federal licence, the issuance of a ministerial order, or the issuance of administrative monetary penalties (AMP) of up to $1 million, the federal government tends to take a soft-touch approach, focusing more on first informing licence holders of their potential violations of federal rules before escalating to more significant penalties.
Health Canada uses information from both internal and external sources to help identify any possible risks to public health and public safety. However, a spokesperson for the agency in the past told StratCann that they do not collect data that shows how they became aware of any potential issues.
Note: This article was updated on April 30 to include additional information from Health Canada, as well as the notice of intent filed by Ghost Drops.
This week at StratCann, we covered the ongoing “Will they/Won’t they?” with Israel’s tariffs on Canadian cannabis, with the country’s Finance Minister rejecting the proposed tariffs.
Unsurprisingly, cannabis sales declined in February (unadjusted), although they remained slightly above the sales figures for February 2024. These figures will be adjusted by Statistics Canada over time. All provinces showed year-over-year (YoY) increases, except for New Brunswick, Quebec, and British Columbia (BC). Ontario, Saskatchewan and Manitoba saw significant YoY growth.
Workers at the Saskatoon locations of Fire & Flower first applied to certify the United Food and Commercial Workers’ Union (UFCW) in October 2022, with a vote scheduled the following month. Still, the effort has dragged on for nearly three years, with allegations of unfair labour practices now headed to the Court of King’s Bench.
A Prince George cannabis retailer is one step closer to opening a new location after city council held a public hearing for a rezoning application and voiced support for it to receive a license at its Wednesday, April 23 meeting. Grasshopper already has two locations, one downtown on George Street and another in the Hart at Birchwood Mall.
Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd. announced that it has achieved profitability atHumble Grow Co. (formerly Delta 9) and that initial post-integration Humble results are exceeding projections. SSC also announced that it will release its 2024 audited annual financial results on April 30, 2025.
Village Farms International, Inc. announced that on April 21, 2025, it received notification from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC that Nasdaq approved the company’s request for a 180-calendar-day extension to regain compliance with the minimum closing bid price of US$1.00 per share listing requirement.
The Monitor in Mernova Medicinals CCAA proceedings filed its first report on April 23 with a planned date of distribution of solicitation letters and NDAs to interested parties by May 12, and a bid deadline of June 23.
Pique Magazine spoke with Spensir Sangara, founder of THC Canada, Randy Tingskou,owner of A Little Bud, Jeff Sweetnam, who co-owns Spiritleaf, and Andrew Ellott, owner of The Nest and Coast Mountain Cannabis, about the state of retail cannabis in Whistler, BC.
Following CNN coverage on the topic, several media outlets picked up the story of a recent research paper that highlighted increases in “past-year” adolescent cannabis use following the legalization of edibles and extracts in Canada (except for Quebec). Although the actual increase was only from 14.6% to 15.9%, the increases do highlight differences in reported rates of use in the rest of Canada compared with Quebec’s more strict approach with access and product availability. (StratCann shared that research in last week’s Week in Weed roundup).
Another recent study reported that adverse effects to cannabis are common amongst community-dwelling older adults. Adverse effects were reported by 308 participants (61.2%) and included dry mouth, feeling high, impacting balance, and mental alertness. Compared with participants aged 50–60 years, those aged 70 years and older had lower odds of reporting any adverse effects.
A recently published data-based assessment of the impact of cannabis legalization on vehicle accident experience found the estimated seasonality and pre-legalization dynamics in Canadian vehicle insurance statistics continued after legalization without a significant change.
And yet another study concludes that shifting social acceptability of cannabis post-legalization in Canada is paralleled by increases in perceived health-related risks and decreases in perceived benefits.
Police officers from the Sûreté du Québec’s Contraband Investigation Service, following information from Health Canada, made arrests and conducted searches related to illicit cannabis in the Drummondville and Sherbrooke regions. The seizures include more than 311 cannabis plants, 6 kg of cannabis concentrate, 171 kg of cannabis, and more than 3 kg of hashish.
BC wants to seize a home where a cannabis extraction lab caused a deadly explosion earlier this year. RCMP found cannabis and a cannabis preparation/processing laboratory, including butane/propane tanks and cannabis packaging materials, following the explosion.
And finally, a piece in Slate argues that existing and past laws limiting cannabis potency are misguided, not just because they might actually lead people to consume more, but because they’re written in a way that fails to understand the complexity of cannabis potency.
A BC cannabis retailer says access to capital from a local credit union has been a game changer, allowing his small business to grow.
Randy Tingskou, founder of A Little Bud, which will soon open its fourth location in the province, says that access to credit through Community Savings has helped him to better manage the uncertainty of the industry.
“The cannabis industry is run on a pay-to-play model, where cash is often the only option, even for placing orders to BCLDB,” says Tingskou. “This creates major barriers for retail businesses like ours looking to expand into new markets and open more storefronts. Community Savings actually fought to get us access to credit. Now we’ve shifted to credit payments for everyday expenses. This has been a game-changer in streamlining our operational costs and freeing up cash flow for growth.”
“It’s enabled us to do a lot more with a lot less.”
He explains that regulatory roadblocks, cash flow headaches, and financial stigma have made running a cannabis business needlessly difficult. One way Tingskou suggests the provincial distributor in BC address some of these needs is by offering stores better payment options, such as net-30 or net-60, rather than only cash on delivery.
Six years into legalization, the industry should convey more security to lending institutions, which, other than credit unions like Community Savings, often do not want to deal with cannabis because of concerns with financial risks.
“I would really like to see our distributor step up and provide us with some type of payment options outside of cash on delivery,” he adds. “I think that it’s going to help the banking system if our sole distributor shows faith in us as retailers. I think if we can get the confidence from our distributor, it’s going to help banking regulators with their confidence, as well.”
Mike Schilling, President and CEO at Community Savings, notes that the organization is BC’s largest cannabis banker, with 233 cannabis-related business clients and over $22 million in commercial loans and working capital.
“Legal cannabis entrepreneurs have been overcharged, overregulated, and overlooked,” explains Schilling. “We’re putting money back in their pockets with smarter, fairer financial tools, because it’s long past the time the cannabis industry got treated like real businesses. We’re eliminating red tape and providing real financial support to help cannabis businesses scale and succeed. Over the last six years, we’ve made sure our cannabis members have the same banking privileges as any other industry. This community needs a financial partner that rolls at their speed, and we’re here to deliver that.”
Community Savings has also waived additional fees that other banks charge, he adds, like a fee to open an account. The credit union has provided 38 credit cards and, in partnership with We Can Capital Inc., has advanced funds against invoices from the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (BCLDB), Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC), Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL) and the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS).
“What Community Savings is doing isn’t flashy or new—it’s foundational,” says Joshua Reynolds, Director of Partnerships at We Can Capital. “They’re giving businesses the tools to function like any other industry. That shouldn’t be revolutionary, but in cannabis, it is.”
Tilray Medical has confirmed they are leaving the New Zealand medical cannabis market to better focus on the Australian medical market.
The company recently confirmed its exit with New Zealand publication The Post, with its final day of sales in the country set for May 31.
Although the company was not immediately available for response to a media request from StratCann, they told The Post in a statement: “Our priority is to manage this transition effectively, minimising any disruption and ensuring Tilray patients in New Zealand have access to necessary treatments during and after the transition period.
“Zero Tilray employees were impacted by this strategic decision,” it added in the statement.
In Tilray Brands Inc.’s most recent quarterly report for the three months ended February 28, 2025 (Q3 2025), the company recognized US$0.3 million of restructuring charges related to its decision to exit the New Zealand medical cannabis market.
In 2021, the company became one of the first licensed cannabis producers to operate in New Zealand following 2020 legislation that created the country’s medical cannabis system. The company sold cannabis flower and extracts (oils) in New Zealand. The company received approval for its first limited shipment to New Zealand even earlier, in 2017.
Recently updated data on the supply of medical cannabis in the New Zealand market shows the number of packs of products reported as containing cannabidiol as the primary active ingredient only declining in 2024, while products reported as containing tetrahydrocannabinol remained relatively level. Packs of products reported as containing both tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol as active ingredients increased in 2024.
As of March 20, 2025, the country’s health agency lists 41 active licence holders, sixteen for oral liquids (five of which are from Tilray), four for sublingual solutions, one for sublingual spray, 16 for dried cannabis flower options for inhalation via a vaporiser (two from Tilray), and 18 dried cannabis flower options for preparing tea for oral consumption.
A handful of Canadian companies, such as Tilray and MedReleaf, have shipped cannabis products to New Zealand and established a footprint in the country’s domestic operations through local partnerships. Aurora recently announced its first shipment of cannabis to New Zealand in 2024.
Tilray’s international cannabis sales in its most recently reported quarter were US$13.9 million.
New Zealand Medical Cannabis Council executive director Sally King told The Post that despite Tilray’s departure, other companies, including Canadian-based Aurora Cannabis, are expanding.
“Aurora is in the process of really establishing themselves in the New Zealand market,” she said. “It’s a real sign of confidence in the New Zealand market that they want to be here.”
King told StratCann that she doesn’t expect the move to have a significant impact on the market.
“They had a limited range and there are other imported and local options that will meet patient needs here.
“Aurora has recently taken a more proactive position in [New Zealand]—perhaps that had an influence on Tilray’s exit? Aurora has some new flower products which are being well received by prescribers and patients and is considering other formulations that we would like to see in NZ.”
She also notes that New Zealand’s accounting of cannabis sales can be misleading.
“Pack sales are misleading as there has been a shift from 10 gram to 30 gram packs for flower; it is very difficult to get clear data on the volume and product type in NZ.”
Several sources told The Post that high regulatory costs in New Zealand are challenging for companies operating there. A legalization bill was put to a referendum in New Zealand on October 17, 2020, exactly two years after Canada formally legalized the plant. The referendum, however, failed to gain enough support.
Cannabis packages with transparent windows are finally making their way to some shelves in Canada, a month after new rule changes from Health Canada came into force.
In March, the federal cannabis regulator finalized a range of rule changes for cannabis producers, including several that will be noticeable to consumers, such as larger cannabis pre-rolls, streamlined labelling requirements for THC and CBD, multi-coloured packaging, QR codes, and see-through windows for cannabis flower.
At least two producers were fully prepared for these changes and have products on shelves or coming to shelves soon that feature those cut-out windows, satisfying a demand from both the industry and consumers alike since cannabis was first legalized in Canada.
Josh Gadowski, the owner of a micro producer in Alberta called Kosyak Cannabis Group, recently introduced some of his own recently harvested cannabis in packaging that allows consumers to see the flower. The products are currently available in the Alberta market.
Everest Cannabis from Kosyak Cannabis
The changes are a good step forward, he says.
“[I’m] so happy about it, the window is actually a core part of my business plan,” says Gadowski. “Simplified THC numbers are great as well because most consumers don’t understand the THC/THCA distinction. Trust me, I was a budtender for two years. QR codes increase information flow to budtenders and customers and are a no-brainer.”
It’s also a way for quality flower to distinguish itself from lower-quality product better, he adds.
“Some of the flower selling right now wouldn’t move if people could see it before they bought it. With top shelf flower, putting it in a clear bag or jar will set those brands apart. Either you have flower worthy of being seen, or you have something to hide. It’s called bag appeal, and it’s how it used to be sold.”
Chris Crosbie, the founder and chief operating officer of Atlantic Cultivation Ltd., a cannabis producer in Newfoundland, has similar packaging for his products that he hit the ground running with as soon as Health Canada made the new rules official. He says he expects them on shelves in the coming weeks.
Overall, he shares similar sentiments to Gadowski.
“There’s always value for me in letting consumers see the flower,” explains Crosbie. “Our flower presents really well and has good bag appeal, so it’s something I’ve always wanted to do. The consumer wants to know what they’re smoking. Especially with a premium brand, people want to know what they’re paying for.”
Still, he says he does see how the issue could be a challenge for some retailers, especially those in busier locations.
A clear jar from Natural History
“At the retail level, it could definitely cause a shift in consumers. People are going to want to select their nugs, so I can see consumers coming in and wanting to see several packages, which I think is something the retailers are going to have to learn how to handle. I think the customer will be a lot happier at the end of the day, but if you’re in a high volume store and there are people lining up behind you, that definitely puts pressure on the retailer.
“I think it’s good for the industry overall. Retailers will figure out their procedures and what they allow customers to do, but I can see that being a bit of a hurdle that could create some initial difficulties for retailers.”
Atlantic Cultivation products are sold across Canada.
Ian Scott, VP of operations at Plantlife Cannabis, with 42 retail locations in the Alberta market, says he has seen a few other products on shelves with clear packaging, including Natural History, Super Toast, and Space Race.
“Consumers are excited,” Scott tells StratCann. “Most cannabis shops do not have products visible (such as sensory jars) as they did in the early days of legalization. Being able to see the physical product prior to purchase and not hidden in a bag only creates trust and transparency when guests are making a buying decision.”
Canadian producers exporting cannabis to Israel have received at least a brief reprieve from recently announced tariffs of up to 165% after the Israeli Finance Minister repealed the move, according to a report in Israeli media.
The move follows an announcement on April 10, in which the country’s Minister of Economy and Industry, Nir Barkat, stated that he had accepted the proposal to impose tariffs on cannabis imported into Israel by Canadian companies at rates as high as 165%.
The plan still required final approval from the country’s Knesset Finance Committee and Finance Minister. In a letter sent to Barkat, as reported by the Israeli news outlet Calcalist, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote:
“I would like to inform you that unless I inform you otherwise in the coming days, I oppose the decision to impose an anti-dumping duty on the import of cannabis flowers from Canada.”
Smotrich adds that the decision could be revisited, and that the Minister of Economy could submit the proposal in the future. The objection to the plan from Smotrich was based on the timing of the announcement from Barkat, who issued the announcement on April 10, the eve of Passover, meaning many government employees, including those in the Finance Ministry, were unavailable to properly review the decision.
“As you know, all Ministry of Finance employees and state employees were on a concentrated vacation these days, and I was not able to carry out all the work processes required for me to formulate my position in the required depth.”
“I intend to delve deeper into this issue, God willing, in the coming days, and to the extent that this delving deeper changes my decision, I will inform you immediately,” continued Smotrich’s letter, adding “if the burden of issues assigned to me results in my delving deeper into the issue….and if my opinion changes as a result of my delving deeper, you can renew your contact with me again, and we will move forward with the decision by agreement.”
The move is a contentious one in Israel because of its impact on patient choice and future market prices, explains Tzvi Lefler, CEO at K&K Consultants Ltd., who provides consulting in the Israeli and international cannabis markets.
While he says he understands the concerns some Israeli cannabis companies have expressed regarding claims that some Canadian companies have been selling large amounts of cannabis at low prices into the market, the approach the Ministry of Economy and Industry has taken doesn’t appear to make sense from his perspective.
“According to the investigator, there is one company that is in charge for most of the dumping. There’s plenty of ways to deal with that without tariffs, there is no need to hurt the Israeli patients and all other Canadian exporters.”
“They know exactly who is doing what. They have the invoices. They know exactly who is selling at what price. It’s very easy. So why punish everybody? And again, this does not punish the Canadian exporters. This punishes medical patients in Israel.”
Lefler adds that the way the Minister of Economy and Industry calculated the value of Canadian cannabis was inaccurate, noting that the Ministry was comparing prices of cannabis in Canada’s domestic non-medical market, which is not comparable to the prices for medical cannabis in the export market, especially with the added costs associated with exports (like special international certifications, special lab tests, special GDP international shipment etc).
In our Insight section, we featured the tenth instalment of The Good Weed Board from Marty at Overgrown Gardens. On our profile page, we ran a profile on DEALR Cannabis’ recent rebrand and looked at the company’s focus on market dominance.
In other cannabis news
PEI’s first cannabis trade show was held last weekend in Charlottetown. The media spoke with Alex Smith, CEO of Fresh Island Grown, about the event.
Beginning with the upcoming March reference month, data on the cannabis industry will be released as part of Statistics Canada’s Monthly Survey of Manufacturing.
The team at BC’s Coast Mountain Cannabis recently offered Pique Magazine a behind-the-scenes tour of their Pemberton facility. The article is available in Pique’s hardcopy publication only.
High Tide’s Omar Khan penned a piece in the Toronto Sun that argues cannabis can help Canada fight the trade war and crime by cracking down on the illicit market, raising THC limits for edibles, and softening marketing restrictions.
Aurora Cannabis Inc.announced the availability of medical cannabis concentrates (inhalable resin cartridges) to patients in the United Kingdom (UK): the company’s first significant step in offering its proprietary cultivar-specific inhalable cannabis extracts in the UK market.
Village Farms International, Inc. announced that it has amended its Fresh Produce loan with Farm Credit Canada, which it states will result in improved terms and greater financial flexibility, aligning with the company’s strategic focus on expanding its cannabis businesses internationally.
Found among the more than 7 million contraband cigarettes seized from an overturned tractor-trailer by RCMP in Newfoundland and Labrador was a case of unlicensed cannabis pre-rolls labelled as Drizzle Factory Slims, featuring a Canadian THC logo.
Police are investigating a fire at The L’Nuk Trading Post, an unlicensed cannabis store in Riverview, NB.
The largest ever study investigating medical cannabis as a treatment for cancer, published this week in Frontiers in Oncology, found overwhelming scientific support for cannabis’s potential to treat cancer symptoms and potentially fight the course of the disease itself, reports the Guardian.
A new study says increase in adolescents’ cannabis use in Canada that were associated with cannabis legalization highlights the need for stricter policy measures to curb adolescents’ access to cannabis edibles and extracts and greater awareness among adolescents about harms of cannabis use.
And finally, for the third time, a bill, The STATES 2.0 Act, has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to end federal cannabis prohibition in states that have legalized it, while providing for a basic federal regulatory framework for cannabis products, reports Kyle Jaeger at Marijuana Moment. The legislation would amend the Controlled Substances Act (CSA) in a way that would prohibit federal criminalization of people acting in compliance with state cannabis programs, as well as those operated by Indian tribes.
The head of trade tariffs at Israel’s Ministry of Economy, Danny Tal, says tariffs on Canadian cannabis are necessary to protect not only Israel’s medical cannabis industry but the Israeli economy in general.
The Minister of Economy recently announced a plan to move forward with tariffs on Canadian cannabis—as high as 165%.
“When there is excess production capacity, or inventories whose validity is decreasing, the seller is willing to sell at a loss,” Tal said in the interview. “It is important to understand that this levy is not intended to protect only the local industry but the entire Israeli economy. Dumping is beneficial in the short term in terms of lowering prices, but it causes the collapse of the local industry and increases prices in the long term. This is called predatory imports: I lower prices until you collapse, and then I will do whatever I want with the prices.”
The country’s investigation into allegations that Canadian cannabis companies were “dumping” their products into the Israeli market began in January 2024 by the Ministry of Economy and Industry.
“Dumping is beneficial in the short term in terms of lowering prices, but it causes the collapse of the local industry and increases prices in the long term. This is called predatory imports: I lower prices until you collapse, and then I will do whatever I want with the prices.”
The head of trade tariffs at Israel’s Ministry of Economy, Danny Tal
In the course of the investigation, it was determined that the large volume of cannabis sold into the Israeli medical market from Canada was having a significant impact on both the local market and domestic companies’ ability to compete.
These products, determined by a 2024 report, were sold at lower prices, which Tal argued do not reflect the normal course of business, and at prices that are lower than production costs or from their prices in the Israeli market, especially given the additional costs of exporting cannabis from Canada.
The decision still needs to be approved by the country’s Knesset Finance Committee and Finance Minister.
Many Canadian cannabis producers, as well as the Cannabis Council of Canada (C3), an industry association, have pushed back against these claims.
“Our members do not export final consumer-ready packaged goods to Israel, but instead export bulk raw material cannabis flower,” C3’s president, Paul McCarthy, told StratCann in 2024. “It is only once that raw material flower has arrived in Israel that local manufacturers process and package the flower for sale to pharmacies in accordance with the Israel Medical Cannabis Authority’s rules and regulations.”
In his most recent interview with Cannabis Magazine, published on April 18, Tal doubled down on these claims, calling the Canadian industry’s argument “nonsense.”
“What is sold in Canada in large packages is the leftovers from production – about 10% of the produce,” Tal is reported as having said. “They sell the most beautiful flowers to Israel – it’s the premium of the premium. They don’t sell us the same one-kilo packages that they sell there for less than a dollar, which is a loss-making price.”
If someone is trying to argue that spending 8 years investing, building and maintaining a sustainable operation in Israel is somehow nothing more than a cost-saving cannabis disposal method—that’s more than just wrong. It’s disturbing that whoever was behind this deeply flawed analysis may have a role in determining international trade policy and hurting Israeli patients.”
Mike Gorenstein, the CEO of The Cronos Group
Tal also claimed, without evidence, that it’s cheaper for Canadian cannabis companies to export cannabis to Israel than it is to destroy it. In reality, the process these companies have to go through to export cannabis can be complicated and costly.
“In December 2023, Canada announced that it had a surplus of 53-54 million unsold packages—an amount equivalent to 5-6 months of consumption. The cost of destruction there is so high that it is cheaper for them to send it to Israel at a loss.”
Tal also told the publication that the Canadian industry’s claims that many of these sales are on consignment are false.
“Consignment in cannabis does not really exist, because you cannot return goods to Canada. Canada does not allow this, despite all the quantities it exports here, it does not allow Israeli exporters to bring cannabis goods to Canada. It is completely unilateral.”
While Tal is correct that Canadian companies can generally not bring unsold cannabis back into the Canadian market, this does not support the claim that consignment does not exist. In fact, one Canadian cannabis company, Decibel, has mentioned a default of $1.6 million in a payment for shipments to Israel.
In the most recent interview, Tal also called out one Canadian cannabis company, The Cronos Group, by name. According to Tal, Cronos accounts for more than 75% of total imports from Canada, accusing them of being the biggest participants in the alleged “dumping” process.
Mike Gorenstein, the CEO of Cronos, tells Stratcann that such claims are unfounded.
“The idea that Cronos is sitting on immovable inventory and shipping it to Israel because it’s ‘cheaper than destroying it’ is pure fiction—which is par for the course in the Trade Commissioner’s investigation,” says Gorenstein. “As I have said before, we are struggling to keep up with global demand, which is why we announced a 70% capacity expansion at Cronos GrowCo last year.
“Let’s be clear: we do not sell at a loss in Israel. What is more troubling is that Cronos Israel is home to over 60 employees, with full-time offices and operating facilities. If someone is trying to argue that spending 8 years investing, building and maintaining a sustainable operation in Israel is somehow nothing more than a cost-saving cannabis disposal method—that’s more than just wrong. It’s disturbing that whoever was behind this deeply flawed analysis may have a role in determining international trade policy and hurting Israeli patients.”
In September 2024, Cronos joined a group of cannabis cultivators that had filed an administrative petition in the District Court of Jerusalem, Israel, against the Trade Levies Commissioner and certain Israeli and Canadian businesses in relation to the Israeli government’s concerns about “product dumping” into their domestic market from Canadian cannabis companies.
Cronos sells products in Israel under its Peace Naturals brand. n 2024, Cronos sold $28.4 million of cannabis into the Israeli market.
Cannabis Magazine also notes that some of the most popular and in-demand medical cannabis in Israel is from Canadian companies, supporting the idea that the presence of these products in the Israeli market is a result of consumer demand for quality rather than price.
In addition to industry pushback on Israel’s push to tariff Canadian cannabis, in November 2024, Jean-Pierre J. Godbout, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada, told StratCann that the agency was also reviewing the proposal to see if it is in compliance with WTO rules.
“Canada is disappointed with Israel’s Commissioner of Trade Levies’ conclusion that imports of medical cannabis from Canada were dumped into Israel and caused material injury to the Israeli domestic industry. We are reviewing the Commissioner’s decision to assess its compliance with applicable WTO rules and have significant concerns with the Commissioner’s methodological choices and interpretations of the facts in the case. We will continue to closely monitor the development of this case, including the Advisory Committee review and Ministerial approval processes, and intervene alongside the implicated Canadian industry.”
The head of the economy, regulation and innovation at Israel’s Ministry of Health also has concerns about the proposal, saying it will harm Israel’s cannabis industry, questioning the report’s methodology and saying the Ministry of Health will not support the proposal.
Israel’s Competition Authority has also rejected the proposed tariffs, something Tal has dismissed as not being in their wheelhouse.
The country’s Finance Minister is expected to make a final decision the week of April 21 on whether to veto the Ministry of Economy’s recommendation for tariffs up to 165%, reports Cannabis Magazine. If the Finance Minister does not veto it, the issue will be moved to the Knesset Finance Committee for discussion. The Knesset returns from recess in early May, with Tal saying the process could be completed as soon as early June.
As outdoor cannabis growers and backyard gardeners get ready for the 2025 season, an increasing array of cannabis seeds and clones is available in many provinces.
Some stores in the province also carry cannabis clones offered through BC’s direct delivery system, which allows small-scale BC producers to ship products directly to retailers.
In Q1 2024, which covered April, May, and June, BC sold $94,598 worth of seeds (4,460 units) through their central warehouse, as well as $1,162 worth of seeds (53 units) and $59,491 worth of plants (2,537 units) through direct delivery.
Clones for sale on display at a cannabis retailer in BC
In Alberta, stores can carry seeds from Weathered Islands, 34 Street, and HomeGrow with Freedom from Ontario’s Montrose Cannabis and Edmonton’s Palm Gardens.
In Saskatchewan, stores carry seeds from 34 Street and Bag Seed Co., BC’s Erbaceous and Pristine, Saskatchewan’s OneLeaf, Pristine, and Encore, as well as BC’s THC BioMed.
In Manitoba, no cannabis seeds or clones are yet available. While the province quietly passed legislation late last year repealing the previous government’s ban on growing cannabis at home, details on those rules and when they come into force are still unknown. A recent memo from the provincial regulator informed retailers they would “soon” be able to order seeds.
In Ontario, home growers can choose seeds from HCBD Organics, Bag Seed Co., the Autoflower Breeders’ Club, Homegrow with Freedom, Automatic Ganja, Weathered Islands, and Green Rose Seeds.
Quebec does not allow people to grow cannabis at home, so seeds are not available.
Those who want to grow their own cannabis in New Brunswick can get seeds from brands like Green Rose Seeds, ECO N.B. Proudly Grown, and AAA Cuts. Clones are also available in New Brunswick cannabis stores on a limited time basis, annually, as well as through farmgate stores, including Canada’s only farmgate nursery located in Moncton.
In PEI, people can choose from Green Rose Seeds, 34 Street, Humboldt Seed Company, and Parkland Flower.
In Nova Scotia, the provincial retailer lists 12 varieties from 34 Street, while in Newfoundland and Labrador, there are three options from 34 Street.
Retailers in Yukon carry Pristine Seeds, 34 Street, Humboldt Seed Company, and Dutch Passion. There are no seeds available in Nunavut or the Northwest Territories.
This is not an exhaustive list. Did we miss a seed brand in your province? Let us know!
And, of course, we would be remiss if we didn’t acknowledge the numerous unregulated sources of cannabis seeds and genetics available in Canada, which is likely a factor in why there are not more options in the legal market.
A new report says the Canadian cannabis industry is continuing to show signs of slowing growth and market consolidation.
The report, compiled from data from cannabis retail digital platform Hifyre and Statistics Canada, was prepared by Zuanic & Associates, an advisory firm specializing in the cannabis and consumer packaged goods industries.
Figures from Hifyre show total cannabis sales (non-medical) grew 4% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to just over 6% growth for all of 2024, and down from mid-teens growth in 2022 and 2023.
The top three Canadian cannabis companies held a 27% share in the first three months of 2025, down from 31% in the same period in 2024.
However, while Statistics Canada’s numbers show just about 1% growth in 2024, HyFire argues that the Canadian federal government’s sample sizes are too small, instead estimating a 6.4% growth in retail cannabis sales in 2024.
This rate of growth would value the Canadian non-medical cannabis market at about $5.6 billion in 2024, compared to Statistics Canada’s estimate of $5.2 billion.
Hifyre’s figures also show 11 cannabis companies in Canada with a market share of more than 2% in the first three months of 2025. According to these figures, Organigram Global had the largest market share (11.6%), along with Tilray and VFF (Pure Sunfarms) at 9.1% and 6.2%, respectively.
Cronos and Decibel, two other Canadian cannabis companies with a significant share of the overall market, also saw a decline in their market share. Auxly, Cannara Biotech, Canopy Growth, Weed Me, and Rubicon all saw an increase.
The Loud Plug, sold by Canadian Clinical Cannabinoids Inc., saw its market share more than double over the past two years.
Companies with double-digit sales growth (at retail) in year-over-year terms in Q1 2025 include: Auxly +32%, Cannara +37%, Canopy +28%, Weed Me +30%, and Rubicon +30%.
Companies with double-digit declines include: Tilray -14%, VFF -19%, and Decibel -22%.
While Hyfire’s data showed 4% year-over-year growth in the cannabis market, the trend of declining market share of flower continued in Q1 2025, with a 2% year-over-year decline, while pre-rolls and vapes each saw sales increase by 10%. Edibles sales were up 2% and concentrates (non-vapes) were down 3% in this time period. Topicals were up 12%.
Despite these declines, flower was still the largest market share at 36%, and well over the majority of sales when compared with pre-rolls at 32%. Cannabis vapes were the third largest product category, accounting for 32% of sales. Edibles and concentrates were about 5% of the market, while oil/capsules and beverages comprised about 2% of the total market share.
Tilray was the company with the largest market share of dried flower, Decibel dominated pre-rolls, and Organigram dominated the vape category (following their acquisition of Motif).
The five largest companies had a 57% share in the cannabis vape market, a 49% share in cannabis flower, and 34% in pre-rolls.
Seven cannabis producers had a 2-5% flower share in Q1 2025: Canopy 3.3% (1Q24 3.2%); Cannara 3.0% (2.3%); Canadian Clinical Cannabinoids (CCC) 2.8% (2.5%); SNDL 2.3% (2.8%); Canada’s Island Garden 2.1% (2.5%), while Rubicon and Atlantic Cultivation each controlled 2%.
Most Canadians see the cannabis industry as a positive economic contributor or believe it could play a significant role in bolstering the country’s future, according to a new survey from Abacus Data.
This support spanned across political affiliations, with the highest level of support from the Greens and NDP, followed by the Liberals, Conservatives and then the Bloc Québécois. A majority of Canadians (62%) strongly or somewhat agreed that cannabis “could be” an important contributor to the economy in the future, while only 13% disagreed.
The survey, conducted on behalf of Moncton-based cannabis producer Organigram Global, with input from 1,915 Canadian adults from April 3 to 8, 2025, dispels the idea that politicians’ support for the cannabis industry is a politically risky stance, says the pollster, especially among Conservative voters.
What that support could look like is unclear, though. When asked about an unnamed, hypothetical industry that had contributed $40 billion to Canada’s GDP, created 80,000 new jobs in mid-sized cities over the past eight years, and had the potential to add billions more to GDP while creating hundreds of thousands of additional jobs over the next five years, 74% of respondents said it would be a good idea for the next federal government to support such an industry. Only 2% said it was a bad idea.
However, when told that the industry in question was the cannabis industry, those Canadians who supported the idea of federal support dropped to 48%, while those who said it was a bad idea increased to 20%.
A majority (57%) of respondents said they believed the Canadian cannabis industry was already an important contributor to the economy, with 14% disagreeing. Support for this idea was strongest in the Prairies and Atlantic Canada (64, 65%), followed by Ontario (62%), BC (59%), Quebec (49%), and Alberta (45%).
Openness to the idea that the next federal government should do more to support the cannabis industry was also highest in Atlantic Canada (72%), followed by Ontario (69%), BC (65%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (62%), Alberta (59%), and Quebec (55%).
Younger Canadians (18–29) were most likely to support the idea of the next federal government making the cannabis industry “easier” (73%), followed by those aged 30-44 (69%), then those aged 45-59 (60%), and lowest among those 60 and up (57%).
These findings, argue the pollsters, contradict the idea that cannabis might be a politically risky topic, especially among more conservative or cautious voters, although regional differences do still factor in.
Specifics of what type of government assistance would be supported by Canadians were not clear, although the paper presenting the results suggests that this could translate into support to remove interprovincial barriers on cannabis sales, reform the excise taxation framework, standardize regulations, and encourage investment in research and development.
“Whether you’re campaigning in downtown Vancouver, rural Ontario, or Atlantic Canada, pushing for responsible regulatory reforms or investment incentives for the cannabis sector is unlikely to provoke significant blowback,” concludes the Abacus presentation. “On the contrary, the data suggest that more than half of voters in every region and within every party’s base would be comfortable or even excited to see the industry continue to expand.”
Calgary City Council’s Executive Committee have forwarded a plan to allow cannabis sales at age-gated events in the city.
The Planning & Development Services Report, which was created at the behest of council on February 25, was forwarded to city council during a committee meeting on April 15 for consideration on April 29, 2025. The committee voted 6-4 to send the recommendation to council, with councillors Dan McLean, Andre Chabot, Jennifer Wyness, and Sonya Sharp voting against.
Council had directed city staff to present any proposed changes to any relevant city legislation to allow for licensed cannabis sales at 18-and-up events in the city. Alberta first changed provincial law to allow such activities in 2024, allowing cities to then permit such sales in their jurisdiction. Edmonton enacted similar changes last year.
Calgary’s proposed amendments, approved by the committee on April 15, bring the city’s business licence bylaw into alignment with provincial policy and provide the opportunity for cannabis store operators in Calgary to take part in these kinds of sales at events.
The city’s proposed amendments will allow an existing cannabis store licensee to sell cannabis at a mobile business unit and conduct temporary sales at a minors-prohibited entertainment event. An existing cannabis store licensee will not be required to get a separate licence to operate such a business.
Provincial regulators with the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) will be in charge of inspecting and enforcing the temporary retail cannabis store at any minors-prohibited events.
City of Calgary event approvals and inspection processes will remain unchanged by the new rules and will continue to be coordinated across business units and partner agencies, such as inspection of the cannabis consumption area and issuance of the temporary occupancy load card.
Cannabis purchased from a licensed mobile retailer at an event will only be allowed to be consumed in an approved cannabis consumption area.
City staff noted public health concerns from officials with Alberta Health Services (AHS), whose recommendations include limiting sales to cannabis or alcohol, but not allowing both, and limiting cannabis sold at events to low THC products.
City Councillor Kourtney Penner, who first brought the motion to council earlier this year, previously told her council members that the goal of the bylaw change was to ensure the city can better regulate these activities.
“What this isn’t, is creating an open and permissive environment to use cannabis at those festivals,” said Penner. “We already have regulation that defines where it can be used. So it’s not about a puff of smoke or a waft of smoke that you’re walking through. It is simply about creating a safer environment for sales on sites, just as we create a safe sales environment for alcohol. This is a legal substance where adults are making adult choices on what they choose to consume.”
Surrey City Council has finally approved a handful of cannabis stores in BC’s second largest city, more than six years after sales became legal in Canada. The applications now head to the BC government for final approval.
On April 14, the council recommended nine retail cannabis locations to the BC government for approval. The council voted 5-4 on each of the nine applications, with councillors Mandeep Nagra, Rob Stutt, Gordon Hepner, and Mayor Brenda Locke all voting against each location.
The stores, if they receive final approval from the BC government, will be the first in the city. Surrey City Council first released a proposal for up to 12 cannabis stores in early 2024, approving the plan in April.
At the time, the city had said it would consider up to two locations for each of its six distinct communities: Whalley/City Centre, Newton, South Surrey, Guildford, Cloverdale, and Fleetwood. Three of those original stores were not included in this round of approvals.
The nine applications are:
Burb Cannabis on Croydon Drive
Dutch Love Cannabis on 24 St
Dutch Love on 102 Ave
Imagine Cannabis on King George Boulevard
Imagine Cannabis Co on 152 St
1486965 B.C. Ltd dba Inspired Cannabis on 152 Street
1181168 B.C. Ltd dba Inspired Cannabis on Fraser Highway
R. Basran on Fraser Highway
1486965 B.C. Ltd on 150 St
BC currently lists 534 cannabis stores in the province, including 39 BC Cannabis Store locations.
During the meeting, the COO of a BC cannabis retailer called for the City of Surrey to suspend and review its new cannabis retail licensing process, calling into question some of the city’s processes.
In a letter presented to the city, Chris Grzywacz, the Chief Operating Officer at Seed & Stone, a cannabis retail chain in BC with six locations, calls on Surrey City Council to pause its current licensing process for a handful of retail stores, suggesting that another group of retail chains seems to be the primary beneficiary of the city’s recently-changed cannabis store rules. (Note: This article was edited to correct the number of stores Seed & Stone has in BC from eight to six).
Specifically, Grzywacz’s letter highlights what he says are questionable alignments between the interests of retail chain Inspired Cannabis, such as the removal of a distance criteria from parks and playgrounds and the inclusion of experience in pharmacy operations as part of Surrey’s cannabis retail scoring criteria. The owners of Inspired have such experience, says the letter.
It also alleges that Imagine Cannabis “shared comments related to what appeared to be internal details of Surrey’s initial cannabis retail framework” at a Surrey Board of Trade (SBOT) cannabis industry event held on March 31, 2023, which were similar to the framework the city announced a year later.
“The degree of overlap raises questions/concerns that certain industry participants had undue access to, or influence over, the City’s internal decision-making process,” states the letter.
The letter also states that it’s “a remarkable coincidence” that Inspired Cannabis and another retail chain, Dutch Love, submitted applications in different neighbourhoods, while alleging, with examples, a connection between Inspired, Dutch Love, and another retail chain, Imagine Cannabis.
“Either it is a remarkable coincidence that they did not compete head on, or there was a coordinated approach by individuals and companies that share a common history to maximize market share in Surrey.”
Inspired, Imagine, and Dutch Love all have two accepted applications, each seeking approval from the city, accounting for half of the twelve locations the city opened for a potential cannabis store.
Inspired, Imagine, and Dutch Love were not available for comment as of press time.
Featured image shows an Imagine Cannabis in Delta, BC.
The wholesale markup on cannabis sold in Manitoba will increase on June 1, 2025.
In a memo sent out to retailers on April 15, Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries (MBLL) instructed licensed cannabis retailers in the province that the 9% markup on cannabis products retailers buy will increase to 11%.
According to the MBLL memo, the increase seeks to balance impacts on retailers and consumers with investments in public services for the benefit of all Manitobans.
The net revenue from Manitoba’s wholesale cannabis markup is returned to the province to help fund social responsibility and law enforcement programs related to the sale and consumption of cannabis and invest in public services, such as healthcare and education.
“We will continue working with the local cannabis industry to explore further improvements to cannabis wholesale, distribution and retail processes in Manitoba,” says the memo, in part. “These efforts have already led to a significant reduction in lead times with new delivery standards, new in-province distribution services, improvements to MBLL’s cannabis customer online portal, and soon retailers will be able to add seeds to their product mix.”
The MBLL also tells retailers that they will be able to order cannabis seeds soon and that the provincial government is looking into relaxing Manitoba’s window cover requirements for cannabis stores. The province passed legislation in 2024 that repealed a ban on growing cannabis at home, which is expected to come into force soon.
Manitoba has one of the lowest wholesale markup rates in Canada, even after this increase. By comparison, Alberta’s AGLC has the lowest markup at 6%. British Columbia’s LDB adds an across-the-board 15% markup, while the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) has a 23% markup on wholesale cannabis flower.
The owner of a former cannabis production facility in New Brunswick recently discovered a September 2023 federal briefing note to then-finance minister Chrystia Freeland that said markups were causing producers “financial distress” and had gone “beyond what was envisioned” in 2018.
In financial news, Tilray released its Q3 2025 results.
In other cannabis news
Avicanna Inc. announced it will host its 5th medical symposium on Cannabinoid-based Medicine – “From Emerging Evidence to Clinical Practice” in the MaRS Discovery District, Toronto, on Friday, June 6th, 2025.
A trial involving 10 Indigenous people from across Ontario facing cannabis-related charges has been delayed until the fall after a defence attorney requested the trial be postponed due to medical reasons. The trial began in January 2024, with defendants arguing they do not need a provincial licence to sell cannabis in Ontario.
Quarterly retail commoditysales for cannabis products in Q4 2024 were $1,396,293,000.
Newfoundland and Labradorbrought in $15.5 million in cannabis taxes in 2024-2025, which they expect to increase to about $17.6 million in 2025-2026. This represents about 0.3% of total provincial tax sources.
The Town of Gibsons, BC has advanced the rezoning of two existing cannabis stores whose temporary use permits had expired, following council resolutions during its April 8 regular meeting.
High Tide will open a new Canna Cabana location in Kitchener, Ontario. This opening brings High Tide’s total store count to 195 Canna Cabana branded retail cannabis locations across Canada, and 80 in the province of Ontario.
The RCMP’s Southern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit is investigating break-and-enters that occurred between April 6 and 9. The suspects are targeting rural Alberta convenience stores, gas stations, cannabis stores, vape stores, sporting goods stores, liquor stores, and grocery stores.
A newly released study looks at the impact of legalization on cannabis exposure calls to the British Columbia Poison Control Centre. Case rates involving edibles and cannabis inhalation continued to increase after legalization, albeit at a slower pace than pre-legalization.
The proportion of new schizophrenia cases associated with cannabis use disorder (CUD) nearly tripled during a period of substantial liberalization of medical and nonmedical cannabis policy in Ontario, Canada, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
April 7 marks the first day a group of cannabis “coffeeshops” in ten cities in the Netherlands will be able to only sell cannabis from authorized growers.
Eventually, around 80 authorized coffeeshops which sell cannabis took part in the pilot project, with some of their supply coming from ten growers licensed by the government, while also still securing some supply from their traditional illicit sources.
In a memo first sent out in December 2024, the Dutch government said that as of April 7, all coffee shops participating in the country’s cannabis supply chain experiment will only be allowed to sell regulated cannabis. The government says it plans to review this program after about four years.
In March, many of those shops said they were not yet ready for that transition, but the government said it was sticking to its timeline.
As of June 2024, all coffee shops in all ten participating Dutch municipalities have been allowed to sell regulated products alongside “tolerated” products to consumers. By the end of 2024, 70 of the total 75 participating coffee shops had sold regulated cannabis flower and hash.
“Weed was sold here legally for 50 years, but the production was never legal. So it’s finally time to end that crazy, unexplainable situation and make it a legal professional sector,” Rick Bakker, commercial director at Hollandse Hoogtes, one of the regulated producers, recently told The Associated Press, regarding the April 7 deadline.
The goal of the “closed-loop” experiment is to explore the feasibility of a quality-controlled cannabis production and distribution system in the country as an alternative to the current “tolerance policy” that has not-legal-but-tolerated “coffee shop” style points of sale, and unregulated, illicit growers who supply them.
A research paper examines the subject here, and can also be explored in-depth here. Currently, there are around 565 cannabis coffee shops in the country.
Canada- and US-based Village Farms is also one of those companies with a license to supply cannabis to these pilot project coffeeshops.
Workers at WestCanna secured union certification across their two Vancouver stores with UFCW 1518. Established in 2016, Westcanna is one of the original cannabis operators in the Vancouver marketplace
Cannabis NB (CNB) is seeking an implementation partner for the implementation of the commercial cloud-based, Microsoft Dynamics 365 (“D365”) Advanced Warehouse tool. CNB requires a trusted, agile, and solutions-focused partner.
Aurora Cannabis Inc. was named an honouree on the Globe & Mail’s 2025 Report on Business, Women Lead Here list. This annual editorial benchmark recognizes the top publicly traded Canadian companies with the highest gender diversity at the executive level.
Mercanto Holdings Inc., formerly The Good Shroom Co Inc., says it has secured one of only two currently approved battery listings by Quebec’s cannabis board for the launch of the province’s upcoming vape category. Quebec is expected to approve approximately 25 vape cartridges, with listing decisions expected in the coming months.
HYTN Innovations Inc. announced that it received digital Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certificates from Health Canada, confirming the GMP compliance of its Kelowna-based manufacturing facility. Issued under HYTN’s Drug Establishment Licence, these Certificates acknowledge the Company’s GMP status for the United States, Bermuda, and Israel. The licence enables the company to fabricate, package, and label non-sterile pharmaceuticals containing cannabis and psilocybin.
International cannabis news
Two senior members of the German conservative CDU/CSU bloc led by Friedrich Merz are demanding a reversal of the legalization of cannabis last year by the outgoing Socialist SPD-led “traffic light” coalition, the Augsburger Allgemeine reported.
Between January 2021 and October 2024, 21,064 applications were filed in which Mexican citizens requested a permit for marijuana use, according to figures from a new report.
A provincial Minister of Agriculture and Production in Argentinacalled for the legalization of cannabis. Local media reports that, in the face of the federal government’s crackdown on cannabis, including delays in registrations and renewals of Argentina’s Cannabis Program Registry (REPROCANN), the provinces are taking their regulations into their own hands.
Outdoor micro cultivators in New Brunswick can now apply for financial assistance under a provincial program to help farmers.
New Brunswick’s Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (SCAP)—part of a five-year, $3.5-billion agreement between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments—was recently extended to now include micro cannabis cultivators growing outdoors. The program aims to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of the agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.
The cross-jurisdictional agreement includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and $2.5 billion in cost-shared programs and activities funded by federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
Adam Hicks, founder and head grower at Green Rose Farms, a micro located near Sackville, NB, told StratCann he recently learned the program now includes micro cultivators after reaching out to the provincial Minister of Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Fisheries, Pat Finnigan.
In a reply to an email that Finnegan sent to Hicks on March 10, Hicks said the department recently determined that holders of federal micro cultivation licenses are eligible to apply for financial assistance under New Brunswick’s Strategic Initiative SCAP Programs.
The provincial program provides support for New Brunswick fruit and mixed vegetable producers who want to increase production by providing financial assistance for the adoption of season extension and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technologies, the enhancement of storage capacity, and investment in on-farm equipment to improve efficiencies and build production capacity.
A media representative with the provincial Agriculture, Aquaculture, and Fisheries agency confirmed to StratCann that the decision to include micro cultivators was recently shared by Minister Hicks, and that no micros have yet applied under the program.
“Outdoor micro-cultivators can apply for non-repayable financial assistance under New Brunswick’s Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership Strategic Initiative Programs,” confirms Heather Pert, the department’s Director of Communications, via email. Each program has specific eligibility criteria. Program details can be found here.
Pert adds that applications can be submitted anytime, but some programs have an application deadline, noting that the program applies to outdoor micro cultivators only.
The Government of Canada recently released newly updated sales and inventory figures for the cannabis industry, highlighting changing trends as the industry continues to evolve. The newest figures are up-to-date through September 2024.
Total medical and non-medical sales in packaged units were up 4% from September 2023. The percentage of those units that were dried flower decreased by one percentage point compared to the previous reporting period to June 2024 (51% and 52%, respectively), while extracts were up two percentage points (22% to 24%) and edibles were down one point (26% to 25%).
Total package types by SKU with provincial distributors and retailers also decreased for flower, from 47% to 46%, but stayed the same for edibles and extracts.
Approved indoor and outdoor licensed cultivation areas and processing areas increased from the previous reporting period up to June 2024.
Dried cannabis packaged inventory with federally-licensed producers and with provincial distributors and retailers continues to remain relatively level, while dried cannabis packaged sales continue to show seasonal fluctuation, with a spike in sales in the summer and a dip in the winter.
Unpackaged inventory of dried cannabis with licensed producers continued a downward trend that has been ongoing since October 2023, reaching a low not seen since September 2020.
Packaged inventory of edible cannabis products with provincial distributors and retailers continued a slow, long-term increase, although figures in September 2024 were down slightly from an industry high set in May 2024.
Cannabis extracts packaged inventory has remained relatively steady in 2024, up slightly year-over-year, with provincial distributors and retailers, and with federal licence holders.
Cannabis extracts packaged sales in the non-medical market were down in September 2024 compared to previous months, and down year-over-year compared to September 2023. However, these figures were up year-over-year for August 2024, showing slow, continued growth in this sector.
Cannabis topicals packaged inventory in the provinces reached a new high in August 2024, declining somewhat in September but still up significantly from September 2023. Sales of cannabis topicals in the medical stream reached a record high in September 2024 while non-medical sales showed year-over-year declines.
Packaged units of cannabis plants for sale in the provincial markets spiked in April, May, and June 2024, reaching an industry-high in May of 7,283.
Packaged inventory of cannabis seeds with licensed producers and with the provinces, as well as sales, showed a downward trend in 2024, down considerably from record highs in early 2023.
Our April 2025 jobs article highlights roles across Canada in retail, production, brand representation, and more. Whether you’re starting out or advancing your career, explore the latest openings below.
As the industry continues to evolve, businesses are looking for skilled and passionate professionals to join their teams. From hands-on roles in cultivation and processing to customer-facing positions in retail and sales, there’s a wide range of career paths to explore.
Here’s what we’ve found for new job postings in Canada’s cannabis industry.
A company that specializes in medical cannabis access is partnering with an Ontario cannabis retailer to address consumer questions about medical cannabis.
Apothecare, a cannabis consultation service, has announced a collaboration with a growing network of cannabis retailers, including Ontario’s Stok’d Cannabis.
Stok’d operates four cannabis stores in Ontario: three in Scarborough and one in Niagara Falls. The partnership will bring Apothecare’s pharmacist-led cannabis consultations to Stok’d customers, providing “personalized guidance tailored to their health and wellness needs,” Apothecare shared in a press release.
The move addresses a limitation in Canada whereby retail cannabis employees are not allowed to provide medical advice to customers. The Apothecare-Stok’d partnership will launch immediately, offering virtual and phone consultations for Stok’d customers. Customers can book appointments through the Apothecare website or visit any Stok’d location to learn more.
“With this partnership, Stok’d customers can now connect with Apothecare’s licensed pharmacists, who specialize in integrating cannabis into individualized treatment plans,” notes the press release. “Whether customers seek advice on pain management, sleep disorders, anxiety relief, or other medical concerns, Apothecare will provide professional, evidence-based support in a safe and informed environment.”
Stok’d Cannabis CEO Lisa Bigioni said the partnership will bring added value to their in-store customer experience.
“At Stok’d, we believe in creating a cannabis retail experience that makes everyone feel comfortable and supported,” says Bigioni. “Partnering with Apothecare allows us to enhance that experience by providing access to professional advice for our customers. Whether you’re new to cannabis or a seasoned user, having a pharmacist’s guidance ensures cannabis products are safe for you.”
Ajay Chahal, Co-Founder of Apothecare, emphasizes the importance of professional oversight in cannabis use.
“Many Canadians are turning to cannabis for therapeutic relief, but they often struggle to find credible advice. Our partnership with Stok’d bridges that gap, ensuring their customers have direct access to licensed pharmacists who can provide clear, evidence-based recommendations tailored to their individual health goals.”
A 2024 peer-reviewed study in BMC Medicine surveyed 5,433 Canadians using cannabis for therapeutic purposes and found that chronic pain (67%), anxiety (63.6%), and sleep issues (61.8%), were the most common conditions treated. Despite these medical needs, only 54.1% of participants had medical authorization, highlighting the need for professional guidance in cannabis use.
Northern College in Ontario is offering a course on the legalization of cannabis in Canada. Students will examine the history of cannabis within Canada, develop insights into the factors behind the decision to legalize, discuss Bill C-45 and the Cannabis Regulations, and explore the emerging and dynamic infrastructure surrounding the legal recreational use of cannabis.
Canada has done more for cannabis, both medical and non-medical, than any other country in the world, said Miguel Martin, CEO of Aurora Cannabis.
CKPGToday spoke withTyson Wall of Kush Mountain Craft Cannabis and Tara Kirkpatrick of Backwoods BC Bud about some of the new changes to the federal cannabis regulations.
The Cannabis East consumer event will be in Charlottetown, PEI, on April 11th and 12th at the Eastlink Centre.
On March 22, 2025, Fisher Branch RCMP in Manitoba, with the assistance of several RCMP support units and Peguis First Nation security officers, executed three search warrants at residences located within the community. The search of the properties resulted in the seizure of a large sum of cash, several firearms, a handgun, ammunition, cannabis, and other drug paraphernalia. RCMP arrested two men, aged 27 and 26, both from Peguis First Nation, and subsequently released them for a scheduled court appearance on August 5, 2025.
Sûreté du Québec officers from the Matawinie MRC auxiliary post, in collaboration with the SQ’s Organized Crime Investigation and Coordination Division, conducted an operation today in Saint-Michel-des-Saints concerning drug trafficking and cannabis smuggling. A 51-year-old man from Saint-Michel-des-Saints was arrested as part of this operation.
A driver in Ontario was fined $215 for having cannabis improperly stored in his vehicle.
International cannabis news
The US Court of International Tradedenied an attempt by a BC-based cannabis equipment company to expedite its case, saying the business has not shown that good cause exists.
Cal Poly Humboldt’s Cannabis Studies Program is hosting a Symposium on Cannabis and Environmental Stewardship to empower regenerative cannabis agriculture and best practices for licensed cannabis production.
And finally, Virginia’s Republican governor again vetoed a bill that would have created a regulated and taxed adult-use cannabis retail market in the state.
Beginning May 1, 2025, cannabis companies selling through BC’s direct delivery system will only be required to report sales once a month, rather than on a bi-weekly basis.
The move, announced by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) on March 28, will reduce administrative fees for companies participating in the direct delivery program.
BC’s direct delivery program, which allows some small-scale BC cannabis producers to ship products directly to retailers, bypassing the LDB’s central delivery warehouse, was first launched in 2022.
Starting May 1, 2025, eligible cannabis producers will be required to report cannabis direct delivery sales occurring in a calendar month within 15 days of the end of that month. Prior to May 1, these businesses need to continue their regular bi-weekly reporting schedule, ensuring that all sales to that point are reported by May 15.
It is also important that companies report sales only once, since adding sales to two reports will result in those sales being processed twice.
Alannah Davis, the founder of Dabble Cannabis on Vancouver Island and a founding member of the BC Cannabis Alliance, told StratCann that the organization, which represents small-scale producers in BC, lobbied the provincial government for these changes.
Although the organization, and many others in the industry, have been calling for more substantial changes to the system, such as lowering the province’s 15% “proprietary fee”, Davis said the Alliance felt this change in filing requirements was at least a more immediately-achievable win for the industry.
“We are pleased to hear that BC LDB listened to the ask of small producers like those represented by the BC Cannabis Alliance,” Davis tells StratCann. “Focusing our efforts on tangible wins with the directly responsible departments is how we believe we will make steady progress that benefits license holders. We’re happy to see that BC is hearing the concerns of the Alliance and others on these key issues.”
The total grams sold of cannabis (including equivalence) through the direct delivery program in the last three months of 2024 were 554,102 grams (the most up-to-date figures available), worth $2.5 million. This figure was up from the 484,000 grams sold in the previous quarter.
This compares to a total of $146.9 million in wholesale sales in BC in the same reporting period.
In an attempt to appeal to US President Donald Trump, a US cannabis industry political action committee has released a video alleging Canada is attacking American cannabis businesses.
The previous US President, Joe Biden, had started the process of a review of that Schedule I status in 2023, a process which has faced several delays. A move to Schedule III of the US Controlled Substances Act would allow for greater ease of cannabis research and would mean cannabis could be legally prescribed by a doctor under US law, rather than just state law, as is currently the case in many US states.
“Canada is attacking American cannabis companies, and Democrats aren’t helping,” says a voiceover in the ad that discusses Canada. “Medical cannabis is legal in 40 states, but Washington treats it the same as heroin. That means American companies can’t conduct research and are barred from the stock exchange while Canadian companies cash in.”
Because of its continued federal illegality, most US-based cannabis companies can only trade on the Over-the-Counter (OTC) markets in the US. To get around this issue, these companies often choose to list on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) or the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX). While some have speculated that a move from Schedule 1 to Schedule 3 would allow cannabis companies to list on the stock market, which the video also implies, not all agree.
Canada has enjoyed a first-mover advantage regarding cannabis legalization, not only by attracting some US-based companies to list on Canadian exchanges but also by creating a cohesive federal regulatory framework that has allowed for a robust domestic market that also allows for international trade.
US companies, meanwhile, can not even engage in cross-border trade between US states, much less ship products to other legal markets around the world like Australia, Israel, and Germany.
Although the inability for Canadian cannabis companies to ship their products to the US has shielded them from any direct tariff threats from the Trump Administration, the impacts of these trade wars still have indirect impacts on the Canadian cannabis market due to the complexity of international supply chains for things like packaging and labelling, as well as manufacturing equipment.
“This is an America first fight,” the ad adds. “President Trump had the courage to sign Right to Try, healing American patients. Let’s do it again. Reschedule cannabis and put America first.”
Marijuana Moment notes that the statements about Trump’s support for Right to Try that are featured in both ads refer to legislation Trump signed during his first term, allowing terminal patients to access drugs that haven’t been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) but have cleared a Phase 1 trial.
The second video release by the PAC focuses on blaming former US President Joe Biden and the Democrats for cannabis’ illegality. Both videos appear to be framed to appeal to Trump’s worldview and biases.
A public hearing for nine cannabis retail store applications in Surrey will be held on Monday, April 14, 2025.
The stores, if approved, will be the first in the city, BC’s second-largest. Surrey City Council first released a proposal for up to 12 cannabis stores in early 2024, approving the plan in April.
At the time, the city had said it would consider up to two locations for each of its six distinct communities: Whalley/City Centre, Newton, South Surrey, Guildford, Cloverdale, and Fleetwood. Three of those original stores were not included in this round of approvals.
In a council meeting on land use on March 10, Surrey City Council members voted to move those nine applications to the public feedback stage of licensing. All councillors approved each one, except for Councillor Nagra and Mayor Locke, who opposed them all. (h/t to surreyleadernow for first noticing the vote.)
One of the original cannabis retail applicants, 137 Brands at 17608 56 Avenue, was replaced with “UEM Cannabis” with a proposed location of #100 5828 176 Street. It was suggested that the location would be too close to a school. That application was not scheduled for the April 14 meeting.
The second original Cloverdale location was Queensborough Cannabis at 19581 Fraser Highway. That location is also not scheduled for the April 14 meeting.
The third, Surrey Cannabis Connection at 15148 Fraser Highway, was also not included.
Surrey is the second-largest municipality in British Columbia, after Vancouver, with a population of more than 560,000 people. Vancouver, which has more than 660,000 people, currently has 80 cannabis stores according to the city’s document (83 listed as open or in the queue according to BC).
A research team from the University of Toronto is looking for volunteers in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario to help measure the long-term impacts of cannabis on oral health, especially on Indigenous populations. The study is funded by a $1.5 million grant through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.
Retail cannabis sales predictably declined in January after a record peak in December but were still up compared to January 2024.
Manitoba Harvest, a hemp foods company owned by Tilray Brands Inc., announced its new Superseed Snack Clusters are available exclusively at select Whole Foods Market stores in the US.
Police are investigating after a Canna Cabana in the Walmart plaza on Woodlawn Road in Guelph, Ontario was robbed by three men on March 20; one of them armed with a handgun.
Langley RCMP in BC seized 8 kilograms of cannabis products in various forms, including flower, extracts, and edibles, along with fentanyl and cocaine.
In 2023, Luxembourg eased legal restrictions on recreational cannabis, including allowing people to grow up to four plants per household. Although just under seven in ten people growing cannabis at home in Luxembourg said they started cultivating after it became legal, they still amounted to just 11.5% of recent cannabis users.
France recently took a big step towards legalizing medical cannabis, but it could still take several months for experts at the European Commission to approve the regulations. The French High Health Authority (HAS) will then need to rule on how medical cannabis could eventually be covered by public health insurance.
Texas is seeking to ban THC. Senate Bill 3 bans Delta 8, Delta 9, and all other forms of intoxicating THC, including beverages. It also prohibits the retail sale of any cannabinoid in the state, with the exceptions of CBD and CBG.And finally, Reuters reported that anti-legalization groups are ramping up efforts to stop the green wave in the US.
At a glance, Canadian wholesale bulk flower conditions over the month of February presented an encouraging increase in cannabis flower categories Index 5 (25-30% THC) and Index6 (30%+ THC).
Above what was initially forecast for the month, Index 5 increased 6.8% and settled at $1.57/gram, up from $1.47 the month prior. This climb marks the highest settled prices for the category since August 2022, when cannabis flower 25-30% THC traded at $1.62/gram. This is good news for Index 5 and Index 6, which hit $2.75/gram in February, reflecting strong market demand.
Meanwhile, Index 4 (20-25% THC) peaked at $1.75/gram. The average price for all dried flower climbed 1.5% from January to $1.38/gram in February. The forecasted flower price for Index 5 now sits at $1.54/gram for the month of March.
Dried flower weighted average price by index ($/gram)
The cannabis flower market maintained its upward trajectory in February, rising 1.5% to $1.38/gram, following January’s strong 7.9% gain. The trend is expected to persist, fueled by competition from medical cannabis exporters and a rebound in retail sales.
For cultivators, this price recovery offers long-awaited relief from price compression, but buyers looking to secure value SKUs are facing mounting challenges. For now, aged flower remains a budget-friendly option, though supply is tightening, and prices are climbing.
Key factors, Index 4-6
Last month, overall flower prices rose most notably in Index 5 and Index 6. This shift toward higher potency flower reflects the continued preference among buyers, reinforcing pricing strength in top-tier categories.
Index 6 saw a moderate 3.4% gain in February, though it remains below last year’s levels. Index 5, representing mid-to-high THC flower, set a record trading volume, capturing nearly 73% of all transactions. This was fueled by domestic buyers securing product for export and forward contracting—a key driver of the domestic market.
In contrast, lower THC Index 4 dipped last month, both in pricing and trading volume. Despite industry voice advising against THC bias, the shift suggests a continued focus on higher-value SKUs. Compounding this decline was the prevalence of smaller bud sizes that generally trade at a discount.
With the increase in exports and the beginning rebound in retail sales, competition for premium flower is intensifying. The coming months will determine whether an uptick in pricing can be sustained, particularly as new international markets open and global demand dynamics continue to evolve.
A word on exports
Canadian cannabis exports soared to nearly 13,000 kg per month in the final four months of 2024, compared to an average of 7,700 kg recorded earlier in the year. Statistics Canada data also showed that year-over-year, cannabis retail sales rebounded in the last four months of 2024, reaching a record $596 million in December.
The growing domestic and international demand is driving heightened competition for available stock. While this presents opportunities for Canadian producers, it also introduces new challenges at home and abroad.
More countries are revising their cannabis regulations: Switzerland’s recreational focus and Colombia’s medical imports. Canada must continue to pull focus on the international stage with premium product differentiation while heeding the caution of increased competition for market share and low production costs from equatorial regions.
Although Canadian cannabis is not directly impacted by the emerging trade war with the US, many aspects of the cannabis industry supply chain could be.
This can mean increased costs for producers, and those costs being passed on to consumers.
With cannabis still not legal in the US, cannabis imports or exports between Canada and the US are off the table. While there have been some rumblings of tariffs on Canadian cannabis being sent to Israel, for the most part, Canada’s actual cannabis products are not feeling the pinch of the emerging tariff wars.
The packaging used for those cannabis products, however, as well as some of the equipment used in the different steps of cultivation and processing, can be.
Two of the most significant cost increases for SNDL, a publicly traded company that operates in the Canadian cannabis space in both production and retail, are the costs of mylar packaging and aluminum cans. SNDL sells an array of cannabis products, from dried flower, vapes, and edibles, to beverages. It operates a dedicated beverage production facility for both cans and bottles in Bolton, Ontario.
Although most of their business on the cannabis side is not impacted, says Tyler Robson, President of Cannabis at SNDL, Inc., those two aspects of cannabis packaging are already seeing cost increases and delays.
“The biggest increase and biggest bottleneck for us is probably mylar packaging,” he says. “With the childproof bags we’re seeing about a 15-20% increase, not even from tariffs, but just from recent cross-border challenges. That’s the one that’s impacting our business in the most critical way now.”
In addition to cost increases on the finished cans they order from a manufacturer in the United States, he says there have been increased delays in shipping, and even issues securing enough supply due to increased cross-border challenges in recent months.
“But beyond that, to be honest, we’re really not very impacted,” he adds. “The federal banking system doesn’t allow us to do a ton of cross-border purchasing, so we don’t buy too many things from the US today. It’s mostly from Europe and China. So we’re mitigating most of the noise coming from tariffs today.”
One of the challenges in terms of packaging, explains Robson, is that there are few more affordable options from manufacturers in Canada or abroad. Even with cost increases from the US, he says it’s still “exponentially” cheaper for SNDL to source their packaging from south of the border than domestically, or from Europe or Asia.
Callum Hanton, CEO of Bubble Bud Inc. in Edmonton, which produces cannabis beverages in glass bottles, says he’s already seeing a noticeable increase in his costs for bottles, as well.
Although he sources them through a broker in Quebec, the bottles are made in the United States. Even further highlighting the complexities of modern-day supply chains, he says the silica used to make the bottles can come from Canada, but that is then shipped to the US in Ohio or Illinois, before making its way back to his factory in Alberta to be filled with cannabis-infused drinks.
If Canada puts a retaliatory tariff on silica, the price for the manufacturer will rise. Then he’ll be tariffed on that finished product coming back into Canada.
“We searched far and wide for a Canadian company that could meet the volume, the pricing, and the timescale required to run an industrial plant without having huge warehouses of buffer material.”
Instead, he says he’s now looking at getting supply from Europe, but expects this could be even more of a cost increase.
This is also an issue he thinks some companies may not want to admit yet, especially if they have to take into account investor interests and concerns.
“Most cannabis companies don’t want to admit that they’re seeing cost increases everywhere, because most aren’t operating on great margins.”
Not everyone is feeling the pinch, though.
Raj Grover, founder and CEO of High Tide, which operates not only a large cannabis retail chain in Canada but also various e-commerce sites in the US, says the majority of its products are not impacted by trade issues with the US.
“Despite the trade war’s threats to the broader North American economy, our underlying fundamental business is insulated from supply chain impacts as 99% of the sales we generate in Canada and the US don’t cross the border.”
Keith Bao, Managing Director at Aveo, a company that sells vape hardware to cannabis companies, says that since their products primarily come from China, they have not seen any associated cost increases due to tariffs or other trade restrictions.
“The current trade wars do not impact vape hardware currently,” Bao tells StratCann. “The majority of the manufacturers are from China and there has not been further increase of tariffs in the USA for vape hardware (Trump mandated a 25% tariff impacting the vape industry in his first term, and nothing has changed). In Canada nothing has changed. We still pay importing customs which equal to 5% GST.”
Still, he says consumers will likely see an increase in vape prices as an indirect result of the US government’s trade war with Canada under the Trump Administration, as well as increased prices of Canadian cannabis inputs.
“This will not be due to the ongoing trade war climate or tariffs,” Bao explains. “This is due to supply and demand and our weak Canadian dollar. Flower, trim, and input materials are going up in cost due to less cultivation and more demand than previous years. And, the only currency China accepts is USD, and there’s an expensive cost to convert Canadian dollars to USD. The cost of vape hardware will go up because of these factors.”
Tricanna, also based in British Columbia, initially filed a Notice of Intention (NOI) on February 5, listing $3.2 million in liabilities. The company listed $2.9 million in unsecured debt and $1.7 million in secured debt, for a total of more than $4.6 million.
On February 2, 2025, Tricanna entered into a subscription agreement with Rossi, reflecting a renegotiated offer that was said, at the time, to be intended to close by way of an RVO.
“This move brings our vision full circle: an amazing house of brands, cutting-edge pre-roll technology, and a fully licensed processing facility in the Lower Mainland, BC,” said Rossi in a post on Linkedin on March 17. “With three Blackbird by RollPros, two PreRoll-Er, infused pre-roll equipment, and pallets of product already moving through the facility, TRYGG Collective has cemented itself as the dominant pre-roll and co-manufacturing player in Western Canada.”
“A huge thank you to our partners who stood by us through this gut-wrenching process, and a special recognition to the Tricanna Industries Inc. team for their dedication and resilience in ensuring another cannabis venture didn’t fade into the night.”
Founded in early 2022, TRYGG provides packaging and processing options for Canada’s small, craft cannabis growers.
TriCanna’s NOI in February stated that Rossi had been discussing the possibility of purchasing Tricanna since early January 2025, for $200,000.
Between January 2 and February 2, 2025, Tricanna founder Dayna Lange negotiated with Rossi to increase the purchase price. The renegotiated offer was expected to pay out Community Savings Credit Union, which had previously provided a total approved credit facility for Tricanna worth $250,000. Even though Community Savings is the first secured holder, they have clarified with StratCann that they are not owed any money.
Tricanna says it has recorded operating losses since its June 18, 2018 incorporation. The company was first licensed by Health Canada in 2020 and has provided cannabis processing services for numerous cannabis companies, many of which are listed as unsecured creditors of Tricanna.
This article has been updated to clarify that Community Savings Credit Union has no outstanding debt with Tricanna.
Despite its lower production costs and sustainability advantages, outdoor cannabis cultivation has had a challenging go of it in Canada’s legal market. While large-scale indoor and greenhouse operations dominate, outdoor growers face unique challenges—from market oversaturation to unpredictable weather. Yet, those who have weathered the storm are beginning to see glimmers of opportunity.
Industry insiders are witnessing shifts that could signal a turning point for outdoor cultivation, but what are the biggest hurdles facing this important part of the sector, and what can be done about them?
“[A big challenge] has historically been the oversaturation of product,” said Che LeBlanc, Director and Founder of Rosebud Cannabis Farms. “A lot of large, broad-acre producers saturated the market with a medium-quality product. We are still facing some of that, although it is lessening all the time.”
LeBlanc added that from his perspective, things are getting better for outdoor producers, but he doesn’t recommend that anyone get a fresh license at this time. However, he sees a trajectory to potential profits mainly because many larger producers have closed or shifted to international sales.
“That’s the big change I’m seeing right now in our industry. A lot of our product is moving internationally, with more all the time. This means there is less product available here, less of a saturated market.” he said. “Also prices are slowly returning as well in the domestic market.”
LeBlanc said that international sales as a current moneymaker, until the domestic market strengthens, is an effective way to pull in some revenue, which is why Rosebud does take advantage, with two SKUs in Australia under a co-branding opportunity. There are also a number of other opportunities in different international markets they are currently considering.
That being said, he added that Rosebud’s heart is in their community, which is where they want to sell their product. They just need to ensure everything is profitable at the end of the day.
“International sales is a great opportunity,” he said. “If it’s not panning out to line up that opportunity as an independent, then it would make sense to work with another company.” He added that there are now a number of companies acting as conduits to international sales.
McIntyre Creek Cannabis is another strong player in the outdoor cultivation sector that is taking advantage of other countries’ needs for quality products, but CEO Colin Davison points out that it may not be for everyone.
“Export is definitely not going to be for every level of outdoor grower, because it does present a level of quality complexity,” he said. “We definitely need to touch the flower more in order to meet the medical requirements of shipping to Germany, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Australia, which are the four primary places that we ship.”
Davison added that the price they make for their products abroad justifies the added quality control.
B2B Bread and Butter
So beyond export, where is this outdoor cannabis all going, and how does it fit into the big picture for the Canadian market? Davison said the vast majority of outdoor producers are focused on supplying for domestic B2B.
“There are still some LPs trying to integrate growing, processing, and marketing brands, however I would say that’s the outlier. Most companies are not finding profitable success in that fashion.”
To that point, several outdoor cannabis operations attached to larger companies have ceased in the last few years due to financial pressures and industry challenges. For example, Canopy Growth shut down its outdoor cultivation operations in 2020, citing oversupply and cost-cutting measures. Phoena Group (formerly CannTrust) wound down operations in 2023, and Auxly sold its outdoor facility in Nova Scotia in 2022.
Most recently, however, innovations in genetics and cultivation are helping, and outdoor flower is seeing a renaissance of sorts in domestic bagged consumer SKUs.
“You can get high-potency THC distillate or high-potency THC diamonds and you can inject that into flower,” said Davison. “The knock on outdoor sometimes is that it’s not as potent as indoor, but we’ve seen the evolution of genetics. I can grow 24% – 28% THC flower outdoor now, whereas in the first few years [of legalization] we struggled to get 21% THC, so genetics have come a long way.”
Outdoor flower has also traditionally been a great input for solventless products, and as such, live resin and live rosin have been obvious transactions. Davison pointed out that there has now been a “big switch” to put outdoor flower in pre-rolls, particularly infused pre-rolls.
“There isn’t really the demand to grow indoor flower for infused pre-rolls [anymore]. The flower and the infusion now typically come from outdoor flower, whereas just two years ago infused pre-rolls had indoor flower and the infusion came from outdoor.”
The bottom line is that both domestically and internationally, Davison feels there’s enough room for every outdoor operation to succeed.
“All outdoors are not trying to grow the same thing. There are outdoors that grow specifically for the distillate market, which is much more of a high-volume, low cost model. Then there are more craft growers, and then there’s the in-between.”
The Future of Outdoor Cannabis in Canada
While outdoor cannabis cultivation in Canada has faced its share of obstacles, there are clear signs that the sector is adapting and evolving. The shift toward international markets, the increasing role of outdoor flower in infused pre-rolls and solventless extracts, and improvements in genetic potency all point to a more sustainable future for outdoor growers.
The market will likely continue to separate into distinct segments: large-scale producers growing for extraction, craft cultivators focused on premium flower, and those navigating a middle ground. As consumer preferences evolve and regulatory frameworks shift, outdoor cannabis could carve out a more significant role in Canada’s legal industry, not just for its cost-effectiveness but also for its potential to meet the growing demand for high-quality, sustainable cannabis products at home and abroad.
Adaptability and strategic partnerships will be key for those still in the game. Whether through export opportunities, B2B supply chains, or premium niche markets, outdoor growers who can differentiate themselves and remain financially viable will be the ones leading the charge in the years ahead.
ROSE LifeScience Inc. introduced innovative extensions to the company’s Pure Laine and Tam Tams brands.
Tilray Medical announced the introduction of Tilray Craft, a new brand extension of the Tilray Medical brand within its medical cannabis portfolio in Germany.
On March 12, RCMP officers arrested five men in connection with an illegal cannabis storefront in Eskasoni, Nova Scotia, seizing a large quantity of illegal cannabis, psilocybin, and unstamped tobacco.
Protests are planned after RCMP raids on Mi’kmaq-owned cannabis stores in Nova Scotia. RCMP say enforcement will continue, and additional arrests are expected.
International cannabis news
A survey in the US by AAA says 46.9% of cannabis consumers believe they either drive the same, a little better (14.7%), or much better (19.4%) while under the influence.
Rubicon Organics Inc. has announced its first shipment of dried cannabis flower into the international market with a shipment to Poland.
Rubicon is a certified organic greenhouse cannabis producer in Delta, British Columbia. The company recently announced plans to acquire an indoor production facility in Hope, BC, the former Canna Farms facility from MediPharm labs.
The company says the new facility, with an incremental 4,500 kgs of annual production capacity, will help Rubicon to supply both the domestic and international markets. Rubicon says that Poland’s medical cannabis market has more than 90,000 registered patients, with the country representing a “key entry point” into the European cannabis markets, where medical cannabis adoption is expanding rapidly.
“This inaugural international shipment marks a pivotal moment for Rubicon as we bring our premium cannabis products to patients beyond our borders,” said Margaret Brodie, CEO of Rubicon Organics. “As we scale up our production capabilities, I’m excited that Rubicon will be able to deliver more of our premium cannabis to both our customers in Canada and fill the high demand for BC Bud internationally.”
In their most recent quarterly report in November 2024, Rubicon Organics brought in $13.5 million in net revenue, its highest revenue in eight consecutive quarters, but still reported a relatively small net loss of $168,498.
Rubicon sells three flagship brands: their “super-premium” Simply Bare Organic, premium brand 1964 Supply Co, cannabis wellness brand Wildflower, and the Homestead Cannabis Supply brand. The company says it currently has over 294 unique SKUs available for sale across Canada, with over 99% coverage of the addressable market in both non-medical and medical sales channels.
Health Canada has published their scheduled updates to the Cannabis Regulations, Hemp Regulations, and Cannabis Act, streamlining some aspects of the regulations to benefit the legal cannabis market.
The regulation changes focus on five key areas: licensing, production, packaging and labelling, security, and record keeping. The government’s goal with these changes is to address some of the challenges expressed by the industry while maintaining the key public health and safety concerns within the federal Cannabis Act.
Although there have been other changes to the regulations since legalization came into force in October 2018, this is the most extensive package of regulatory changes so far.
While the regulatory changes are expected to increase regulatory costs for Health Canada, the agency says the regulatory burden and costs for small businesses will be reduced. An estimated total reduction in administrative burden on business is expected to be $7.8 million annually (in 2012 dollars).
Changes to the Cannabis Regulations
Research:
Organizations and individual researchers now do not need a research licence when conducting non-human or non-animal research while possessing no more than 30 grams of dried cannabis or its equivalent for research purposes at any given time.
The individual or organization will be permitted to produce cannabis for research purposes but not cultivate, propagate, or harvest it.
Micros and Nurseries:
The cultivation and processing limits for micro cultivators and micro processors have increased by a factor of four. Micro cultivators were previously limited to growing cannabis within a 200-square-meter canopy. That is now raised to 800 square meters. There is still no limit on how much volume of cannabis a micro cultivator can grow within this canopy space.
Micro processors were previously limited to processing up to 600 kg of dried cannabis or its equivalent. This is now raised to 2,400 kg.
Cannabis nurseries were previously limited to growing cannabis flower in a 50-square-meter space, harvesting up to 5 kg of cannabis flower for the purpose of seed production. That limit has now been increased to 200 square meters. Nurseries are still required to destroy the flower after the cannabis seeds have been harvested.
Quality Assurance Person (QAP):
The changes to the Cannabis Regulations also increase the number of alternate QAPs on staff. Previously, this was limited to no more than two; now, no such limit applies.
Cannabis Pollen
Cannabis pollen, previously not mentioned in the Cannabis Regulations, will now be allowed to be sold between licence holders.
Consumer info:
Licensed processors will no longer be required to provide printed copies of the consumer information document with every package of cannabis product sent.
COVID-19-era changes:
Several temporary changes made by Health Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shutdowns have now been made permanent. This includes removing the requirement to list the ports of entry and exit on import and export permits for cannabis and industrial hemp importers and exporters.
License suspensions:
The new changes make it possible for Health Canada to suspend any licences connected to a licence holder with any unpaid fees, or that have failed to submit a required statement of cannabis revenue for a licence as required under the Cannabis Fees Order.
Cannabis plant derivatives:
Derivatives made from non-viable cannabis seeds, mature stalks, and roots can be imported, exported, sold, and processed without a licence, with some restrictions based on potential cannabis content.
Industry Hemp
Amendments to Canada’s Industrial Hemp Regulations (IHR) remove the maximum THC concentration of 10 parts per million for industrial hemp grain derivatives. In addition, the testing requirements, labelling for wholesale sale, and import and export requirements have also been removed.
These changes will allow derivatives of non-viable industrial hemp grains to be imported, exported, sold, and processed without a licence or permit.
Cannabis Exemption (Food and Drugs Act) Regulations:
The reference to a food or cosmetic containing cannabis that consists only of industrial hemp grain derivatives is now exempt under the IHR.
Personnel and physical security:
The amendments to the Cannabis Regulations remove the requirement for the on-site presence of a security-cleared individual.
Cannabis cultivators and processors can now send cannabis for remediation (irradiation, etc) without a security-cleared person chaperoning the product. This also applies to the holder of a research licence or a cannabis drug licence.
In addition, the intrusion detection system requirement for a site perimeter has been removed. Any licensed operations areas where cannabis is not present and where no activities with cannabis are occurring will also not require any visual recording devices and intrusion detection systems to continually operate and be monitored.
The previous requirement for storage areas to have a “room within a room” and the requirement to record and retain a list of individuals entering or exiting the storage area has also been removed.
Federal licence holders will be required to keep just the visual recordings showing movement on the site perimeter, operations areas (indoor and outdoor), and storage areas for at least one year after the day on which they are made.
Pre-rolls and ethyl alcohol
The restriction on the weight limit of one gram for each discrete unit of dried cannabis that is intended to be consumed by inhalation, such as cannabis pre-rolls, is removed.
The use of ethyl alcohol as an ingredient in certain cannabis products will now be permitted beyond just the previously allowed cannabis extract products intended for ingestion and edible cannabis products. This now includes the use of ethyl alcohol as an ingredient in inhaled cannabis extracts up to a maximum net weight of 7.5 grams.
Cannabis Packaging:
Health Canada has made several changes to the cannabis packaging requirements, including now allowing cut-out windows on dried cannabis and allowing different colouring used on cannabis containers.
The co-packing of multiple immediate containers of edible cannabis products into an outermost container for dried or fresh cannabis, cannabis topical, and cannabis extract products is now allowed. The 30 gram (or equivalent) limit still applies to the outermost container.
The 10 mg THC limit for an outermost container of edible cannabis product is also removed, allowing for multiple discreet 10 mg THC cannabis edibles to be packaged together.
Cannabis labelling:
The use of QR codes on cannabis packaging containers will now be allowed, and the allowance for accordion or peel-back labels has been extended to all sizes of packages. This was previously only allowed on small cannabis containers.
Cannabis licence holders can also now use inserts and leaflets.
The font size of cannabinoid and potency information can now be as large as the required health warning message.
Cannabis products will now only be required to show the total THC and total CBD on the label, rather than “total” and “actual” THC and CBD levels. A 12-month transition period will be in place allowing producers to use existing, in-stock labels.
The requirement for equivalency to dried cannabis statements on cannabis product labels and the requirement to include a statement that “no expiry date has been determined” if stability studies have not been conducted are both removed. Packaging date information is also no longer required on the outermost packaging that contains multiple immediate containers, while the immediate containers will still be required to have this information.
A window of plus or minus seven days of the printed packaging date on the label will now be allowed (something started as a COVID-19-era exception).
Symbols on packaging, like a recycling logo, will now be allowed, but with some limitations.
Record-keeping and reporting
Cannabis licence holders will no longer be required to record the quantity of any substance that is applied to cannabis, the method of application, or the rationale for the application.
License holders will also no longer need to submit a notice of new cannabis product (NNCP) for dried cannabis products or fresh cannabis products prior to making them available for retail sale.
The requirement for licence holders to retain a document that lists the ingredients for cannabis extracts, cannabis topicals, or edible cannabis when they have sold, distributed, or exported those cannabis products is also being removed.
All record-keeping requirements for cannabis cultivation waste (cannabis leaves, shoots, and branches collected during propagation, cultivation, or harvesting of cannabis) and the requirement to have qualified individuals witness and attest to this material’s on-site and off-site destruction are removed. The address of the location at which the cannabis is destroyed and the description of the destruction method is also no longer required.
An annual report to the Minister outlining the amount of money they have spent on promotion is also removed, as is the need for licence holders to keep information on promotion-related expenditures and a description of the types of promotion to which the expenditures relate.
The need for cannabis licence holders to submit to Health Canada information showing whether any ownership interest or right held by a key investor was assigned or otherwise provided to any other person and other related details is also removed.
Licence holders that are wholly owned by a publicly traded company are now exempt from key investor reporting, as this is still required by other aspects of financial reporting.
Cannabis seeds sown by a license holder are now required to be measured and recorded by the number of seeds, not the net weight of those seeds.
Cannabis Tracking System Order
The monthly reported unit of measurement of unpackaged cannabis plant seeds is changed from kilograms to the number of seeds to align the information with that reported to the CRA.
Monthly reporting requirements relating to the weight of cannabis cultivation waste will no longer need to be included in the quantity of unpackaged cannabis if it either ceased to form part of, or was added to, the inventory during the previous month.
“The coming into force date of the Cannabis Tracking System Order (Cultivation Waste) will occur on the first day of the month following the coming into force of the Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Concerning Cannabis (Streamlining of Requirements). The delayed coming into force date for the Order will eliminate the potential of having both the weight and number of unpackaged seeds being reported in a single reporting period, as well as the potential of having cultivation waste both captured and uncaptured in the same reporting period.”
Otherwise, these changes come into force on the day of March 12, 2025.
The total estimated compliance cost savings for licence holders from these changes over the long term is nearly $18 million. The total administrative cost savings for licence holders is estimated to be more than $24 million.
As Canadians focus on ways to strengthen their economy in the wake of ongoing threats from the current US government, many in the Canadian cannabis industry say they think cannabis is being overlooked as an economic powerhouse.
Contributing hundreds of millions of dollars in excise tax to provinces since legalization began, and more than $8.3 billion to the country’s GDP in 2024, including the creation of thousands of jobs across the country, while not being at all reliant on US trade, Canada’s cannabis industry is in a unique position.
Despite this, the cannabis industry continues to be overlooked in provincial and federal efforts to strengthen Canada’s economy.
The industry has already contributed over $43 billion to GDP, supports 80,000 jobs, and generates significant tax revenue. With the right tax and regulatory reforms, it can drive even greater investment, innovation, and trade–helping to build a more self-reliant domestic economy.
While Ottawa and most provinces recently agreed on a deal to allow cross-border, direct-to-consumer sales for alcohol, cannabis was ignored.
Canada recently announced billions of dollars in aid and other forms of support to Canadian businesses and people, who are expected to be directly affected by US tariffs while finding new markets abroad. The cannabis industry was not a part of that announcement either, despite Canada dominating the global market for cannabis exports.
“As a world leader in federally regulated cannabis production, Canada has a first-mover advantage in a global market projected to surpass $145 billion by 2026,” said Beena Goldenberg, Organigram CEO, in a recent post online.
“The industry has already contributed over $43 billion to GDP, supports 80,000 jobs, and generates significant tax revenue. With the right tax and regulatory reforms, it can drive even greater investment, innovation, and trade–helping to build a more self-reliant domestic economy.”
Companies like Organigram are ready to work with the Canadian government to bolster this market, she adds.
“This unprecedented challenge presents an opportunity to bolster made-in-Canada industries—including the regulated cannabis sector—and create a stronger, more resilient economy.”
Rick Savone, Senior Vice President of Global Government Relations at Aurora Cannabis, says there’s a lot more the government can do to help make the best use of the economic benefits the cannabis industry brings.
The cannabis industry can benefit from Canada’s goals of becoming more economically resilient by improving supply chains and increasing interprovincial trade in Canada.
“If both the federal and provincial governments were to acknowledge and recognize medical cannabis as a key sector in Canada’s life sciences and pharmaceutical industries, that would help the cannabis industry tremendously,” Savone tells StratCann via email. “As a leader in the global medical cannabis market, Aurora is committed to working with the governments in Canada to prioritize and promote the economic benefits of medical cannabis and encourage them to include it in economic policy discussions and industry growth strategies.
“The cannabis industry can benefit from Canada’s goals of becoming more economically resilient by improving supply chains and increasing interprovincial trade in Canada. To do so, the current cannabis excise stamp regime—which is inefficient and costly—needs to be improved by quickly moving to a national excise stamp for the cannabis industry.”
Savone notes that while there are some supports in place for the Canadian medical cannabis export market, much more can be done, including lowering regulatory fees and doing more to advocate for Canadian companies in the international market.
“In regard to export support, while support from Embassy and Trade Commissioner Service (TCS) has improved for Canadian Licensed Producers, Global Affairs Canada sometimes refuses advocacy services for the cannabis sector, so we urge the Government of Canada to unleash the economic development potential of our medical cannabis industry,” adds Savone. “Also, Health Canada applies a 2.3% Annual Regulatory Fee (ARF) on export products, which poses significant challenges against foreign producers. Health Canada should stop applying the ARF to medical cannabis.”
Alannah Davis with the BC Cannabis Alliance, which represents cannabis producers in BC, recently shared similar sentiments with StratCann about being excluded from these conversations on interprovincial trade, especially when it’s already a strong part of the Canadian-made economy.
“As an industry that has proven itself to be durable through recessions with a supply chain that’s almost entirely Canadian, it’s disappointing to see cannabis being left out of conversations that would help keep Canadians employed while improving economic opportunities in BC’s rural communities,” Davis said.
Canada’s legal cannabis industry contributed more than $8.3 billion to the country’s GDP in 2024, according to the most recent figures from Statistics Canada.
As in previous years, the majority of this came from licensed cannabis production, at nearly $7.4 billion, while retail added around $951 million on top of that.
The illicit cannabis market added another nearly $2.6 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2024, down slightly from 2023, with most ($1.7 billion) coming from unlicensed cannabis production, and $951 million coming from illicit cannabis retailers, both online and brick-and-mortar.
Licensed cannabis stores’ contribution to Canada’s GDP surpassed that of unlicensed retailers for the first time in 2023, a trend that continued in 2024.
While still only a fraction of Canada’s more than $2 trillion GDP, the legal cannabis industry in Canada is nonetheless a more considerable contribution to that overall number than many other industries, including breweries, wineries, and distilleries, as well as potash, dairy, coal mining, meat production, and natural gas production, to name a few.
Cannabis production’s contribution to Canada’s GDP is also about one-third of all crop production in the country, while licensed cannabis stores are about one-quarter of all retail stores’ contribution to GDP.
The Winnipeg Free Press spoke with Murray Brown, the COO of Simply Solventless Concentrates—which recently acquired Manitoba’s Delta 9 Cannabis—about the acquisition, along with Delta 9’s John Arbuthnot. FIKA Cannabis now owns Delta 9’s former retail chain.
BC’s third cannabis farmgate store, Weeds in Pitt Meadows, opened this week, holding its unofficial soft launch. The official soft launch, says Don Briere, is planned for April 18, with a formal grand opening in June. Stop by and say High!
The Calgary Journal spoke with Guy Giroux, founder of Grass Monkeys, an Alberta-based cannabis facility, and C3’s Paul McCarthy about challenges facing producers.
Standard and Same-day delivery services were unavailable in Quebec this past week. 90-minute delivery and Pick Up In Store service remain available. CTV News shared a quote from SQDC that referred to a situation with the agency’s logistics provider.
An appeal before the Nova Scotia Workers’ Compensation Appeals Tribunal was approved, stating that the worker is entitled to coverage of prescriptions for medical cannabis recommended by two doctors, even though their 7-gram-a-day authorization exceeds the dosage limit in the Board’s guidelines.
A Nunavut Court of Justice found the landlord of a cannabis retailer had acted in bad faith, ruling that the store, Higher Experience, has a three-year lease with the landlord that began in 2023 and would need to be honoured.
An Indigenous man who had been facing legal action for selling cannabis without a license from the Ontario government was informed on Jan. 29 that the Crown would withdraw all charges. His store, 8th Fire Co, opened its doors in February 2024 and was raided by York police on March 7, 2024.
US border officers discovered a pound of cannabis, along with methamphetamine pills, arresting a man entering from Canada at the Port of Ogdensburg.
RCMP in Nova Scotia arrested a man they say was involved in illegal cannabis distribution following a traffic stop where officers found six pounds of fresh cannabis, cannabis edibles, liquid cannabis, shatter, cash, and a cell phone.
Australian medical cannabis exporters are experiencing a surge in demand, says David Henn, CEO of Germany’s Semdor Pharma Group and Cannamedical Pharma, and Matt Cantelo of Brisbane-based Australian Natural Therapeutics Group
A Santa Barbara, California judge ruled this week in favour of residents who were part of a long-simmering class-action lawsuit against two nearby pot farms over the smell.
Although cannabis sales have been somewhat cooling from the exponential growth seen in the first few years of legalization, sales of recreational cannabis by provincial cannabis authorities and other retail outlets increased 11.6% or $500 million from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2023.
This is equivalent to $163 per person of legal age to consume cannabis.
Meanwhile, alcohol sales, while still far higher overall than cannabis sales at $26.2 billion, saw historic declines in sales, down 0.1% in 2023/2024 from fiscal year 2022/2023.
The decrease in alcohol sales occurred despite a 2.5% increase in the price of alcoholic beverages in stores from March 2023 to March 2024. Conversely, the 11.6% year-over-year increase in cannabis sales came when cannabis prices declined 2.8% (March 2023 to March 2024).
Inhaled cannabis extracts continued to be the fastest-growing product category in 2023/2024, up 31.4% year-over-year after growing 59.% the previous fiscal year. This category, which includes not only extracts like hash, shatter, or live rosin, but also vape pens and infused pre-rolls, was the most significant contributor to the increase in cannabis sales in 2023/2024, accounting for 67.5% of the $500 million overall increase.
Yukon had the highest sales per person of legal age to consume cannabis at $356 a person, while Quebec had the lowest at $96. Quebec does not allow sales of cannabis extracts unless they have less than 30% THC, and has significant restrictions on cannabis edibles. Quebec has also banned the sale of cannabis topicals, although this is a very small product category overall.
Retailers that Stratcann spoke with recently shared similar insights into current sales trends. While cannabis flower, including pre-rolls, continues to dominate sales, infused pre-rolls and vapes, especially all-in-one or disposable vapes, continue to eat into their market share.
British Columbia, one of the few provinces to release quarterly wholesale sales reports for cannabis products, noted that inhalable extracts sales for the last three months of 2024 were $55.4 million, while cannabis flower and pre-rolls were $76.1 million – $44.2 million in dried flower, and $31.9 million in pre-rolls.
Disposable vape pen sales in that province increased by a whopping 193.9% year-over-year and 92.6% in terms of units sold (258,418 units sold), continuing an ongoing trend. Sales of infused pre-rolls increased by 19.3%. Inhalable extract sales increased by 15.7% year-over-year, and units sold increased by 13.8%. Dried flower sales increased by just 0.8%, while units sold decreased by 1.7%.
Ottawa and several provinces have made recent moves to make intra-provincial alcohol sales direct to consumers, but cannabis continues to be excluded from such conversations despite being a greater contributor to Canada’s GDP than many aspects of the alcohol industry.
New proposed amendments to Manitoba’s regulations would limit cannabis sales to age-restricted stores in urban areas of the province.
As part of the provincial government’s spring agenda, proposed amendments to the province’s Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act would, if enacted, ensure that the sale of cannabis in Winnipeg and other urban areas is confined to age-restricted stores.
The province previously paused their “controlled access” licensing twice in 2024, which allowed cannabis to be sold in mixed-use convenience stores where minors were permitted inside. Initially, those types of licenses were intended for more remote, rural locations but had begun being applied in more urban settings, prompting concerns from some cannabis retailers.
At the time of the initial pause on that type of licensing, Domo, which operates a chain of more than a dozen gas stations and convenience stores in Winnipeg, had been in plans with a Manitoba retailer to supply the chain with their locally-produced cannabis products.
Update: In an email with the press secretary for Cabinet Communications on March 7, it was confirmed that the legislation is not retroactive. It would not apply to existing controlled-access stores in Winnipeg or other urban areas. About ten such shops currently operate in Winnipeg.
In a media scrum on Wednesday, March 5, Minister of Justice and Attorney General Matt Wiebe said the issue was about keeping the general public safe, keeping store employees safe, and making sure cannabis stays out of the hands of young people.
“My opinion is that gas stations should sell gas and convenience stores should stick to Slurpees,” said Wiebe. “We want to make sure that there’s access to the market, but we don’t want our children exposed to this.”
Most provinces, except for PEI and Newfoundland and Labrador, have signed an agreement to allow interprovincial alcohol sales directly to consumers.
The cannabis industry has been asking for similar changes for years, but was not included in the conversation or subsequent announcement about lessening restrictions on cross-provincial alcohol sales.
Most provinces tightly control cannabis sales through provincial boards that do not allow producers to ship directly to consumers, although such sales are permitted through Canada’s cannabis for medical purposes program.
The cross-province alcohol agreement, expected to be signed in the coming weeks, is part of several changes federal, provincial, and territorial governments have been making in recent weeks trying to buoy the effects of US tariffs by boosting other trade avenues.
This work has been aided by the federal Committee on Internal Trade, led by federal Minister of Transport and Internal Trade Anita Anand and several provincial and territorial counterparts.
Through the committee, the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), first signed in 2017, seeks to reduce and eliminate barriers to the free movement of workers, goods, services and investments in Canada. The 2024-2027 Internal Trade Action Plan (ITAP) aims to guide the collective efforts of the federal, provincial and territorial governments with a view to stimulate interprovincial trade and continue to advance internal trade.
While the threat of tariffs on goods entering the US does not have a direct impact on the Canadian cannabis industry for obvious reasons, knocking down interprovincial trade barriers could be a fantastic and welcome opportunity for the sector, and this has not gone unnoticed.
“This is something I’ve been discussing for a long time, from my previous experience in beverage alcohol in the Nova Scotian wine industry,” Jonathan Wilson, CEO of former cannabis producerCrystal Cure, told StratCann recently.
“We’re a giant country, but we forget that within that country there are a whole bunch of borders,” he said. Wilson added that in his experience, there are various instances where it can be easier to get products from international sources rather than from a different province—something that many sectors and companies have agreed with.
Cannabis producers in Canada wishing to sell cannabis in a particular province (and territories) in most cases, need to get approval from a provincial board. Except in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, those boards control distribution hubs that send cannabis to provincially regulated retailers. While British Columbia introduced a direct delivery program in 2022, it only applies to small-scale BC-based cannabis producers, not producers located outside of BC.
British Columbia launched its direct delivery program with the goal of helping small-scale producers establish a better foothold in the legal market. However, some producers feel this is still a form of protectionism.
“A very good example is that multiple retailers in BC have been requesting my product and have been rejected by the board because they prefer to support BC cannabis, which is exactly what we’re talking about, interprovincial trade barriers,” Gord Nichol of Saskatchewan cannabis producer North 40 Cannabis, told StratCann recently.
BC is not the only protectionist province, though, notes Nichol.
“Let me sell to any retailer I want to, anywhere in Canada. I’ve got retailers in Ontario that would love to carry my product, but I can’t jump through their hurdles to supply six retailers, but I could do it if they weren’t in the way.”
Quebec has also become known as a province that makes efforts to support its own provincial cannabis industry, at times to the frustration of producers seeking to enter that market, one of the largest in Canada. Due to increased security checks, barriers to approval in Alberta have also been noted as a challenge by producers, including those located in the province.
“In short, it’s disappointing,” says McCarthy. “I can only hope that the government re-engages on the cannabis sector. It seems like they have viewed the social side of this policy as a success but have forgotten that on the economic side, we need this to be viable. And no one seems to give that any thought. We are almost certainly going to be in an election in the very near future—I think that presents an opportunity to get a fresh look at this sector, regardless of who comes into office.”
Alannah Davis with the BC Cannabis Alliance, which represents cannabis producers in BC, echoes a similar sentiment about being excluded from these conversations on interprovincial trade, especially when it’s already a strong part of the Canadian-made economy.
“As an industry that has proven itself to be durable through recessions with a supply chain that’s almost entirely Canadian, it’s disappointing to see cannabis being left out of conversations that would help keep Canadians employed while improving economic opportunities in BC’s rural communities,” Davis tells StratCann.
Justin Trudeau’s office posted comments about the deal on March 5.
“In the face of the United States’ unjustified decision to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, Canada’s First Ministers recognize this is a pivotal moment for Canada to take bold and united action. We must increase our economic resilience, reduce dependence on one market, and strengthen our domestic economy for the benefit of Canadian workers and businesses now and in the future. One key step is to make it easier for Canadians to do business with each other from coast to coast to coast.”
Details on updates to Canada’s cannabis regulations are expected on March 12, 2025, according to recently-published Orders in Council.
Documents that appear to show the details of those changes have also been shared online through unofficial sources. StratCann has shared them here for reference but it’s important to note this is not the official source.
The changes were first posted as Orders in Council on February 25, pointing to the March 12 date for publication. March 12 is the next bi-monthly publication date for Gazette II. The previous was February 26. However, several advanced copies of those changes have been circulating online since at least March 5.
In what appear to be potentially prematurely-released documents shared widely online on March 5, the new regulations, the result of a proposal package and feedback period first posted by Health Canada in June 2024, include several changes to how federal cannabis licence holders do business.
Some changes that consumers and retailers will notice are that cannabis products can now come in transparent immediate packaging, and dried cannabis packages will be able to have cut-out view-windows allowing consumers to better see what they are buying. Cannabis packaging and labelling will become a bit more colourful and will be easier to sell in multi-packs in some cases.
One significant change for micro cultivators, micro processors, and cannabis nurseries is a fourfold expansion of how much cannabis they can have on-site at any given time.
Micro cultivators will be able to grow under a canopy of up to 800 square meters, up from 200. For micro processors, the new regulations will allow up to 2,400 kg on site per year, up from 600 kg a year previously.
While cannabis nurseries already have no cap on how much cannabis they can grow for the purpose of mother plants, tissue culture, clones, and starts, they were previously capped at having a flowering space no larger than 50 square meters, keeping no more than 5 kg of cannabis flower on-site at any given time, and for a limited time.
This allowance is for seed production, and nurseries are required to destroy the flower afterwards.
Under the new changes, cannabis nurseries will be able to grow cannabis to flower in a space of up to 200 square meters and will be able to possess up to 20 kg of dried flower on hand.
The new changes also make cannabis destruction for licence holders easier, with only one person witnessing the destruction instead of two.
Cannabis pollen is now also added to the cannabis regulations, making it possible to buy and sell the product that was otherwise being used primarily for internal breeding purposes by nurseries and other cultivators.
The changes are not exclusive to cannabis production, though. Those seeking to do non-human or animal research with cannabis will be able to do so with fewer regulatory hurdles, and licensed producers will be able to swap out alternative Quality Assurance Persons.
Cannabis producers can also include more than one barcode on products and can include leaflets inside cannabis packaging. Internal packaging also now has more allowances for peelback or accordion labelling.
The changes were first posted as Orders in Council on February 25, pointing to the March 12 date for publication. The Canada Gazette is where regulatory updates are posted. Proposed regulatory changes are posted in the Canada Gazette I, which is where Health Canada first posted their proposed changes in June 2024, and final updates are posted in Gazette II. The final posting also includes a coming into force date, which can be the same day or at a later time.
The process of posting these changes first as an Order in Council is most likely a reflection of some of the challenges facing the federal government currently, with Parliament prorogued and an election call expected any day now.
By posting as an Order of Council, signed off by the Treasury Board—a federal Cabinet Committee with the authority to approve regulation changes—the February 25 publication helps solidify these changes, even if an election is called prior to their final publication in the Gazette, something a called election could otherwise potentially halt.
Once an election is called, most federal government work has to halt. Since there is much speculation that an election could be called as early as March 10, such a move could have helped ensure the pieces were in place to allow these changes to go through without a new election—and a potential new government—interfering with that timeline.
Cannabis sales spiked to a new high in December 2024 of nearly half a billion dollars, but overall, retail sales continue to show signs of slowing down following exponential growth in the first few years of legalization.
As this initial momentum cools off, retailers in Canada say they continue to see new aspects of the market and much more noticeable seasonal and even regional differences.
Several retailers we spoke with, representing large chains operating in several different provinces, say they continue to see year-over-year growth in most markets at around five to six percent. This growth is driven not only by new stores, something that has slowed down in the past few years, and retail consolidation, but also by bringing in new clients and creating better customer loyalty.
Plantlife Cannabis
“I know we’re still growing, maybe about five-and-a-half percent, but it’s not the same year-over-year growth we saw earlier,” says Ashton Faulkner, a regional manager at Plantlife Cannabis, which has 42 locations in Alberta.
We have a lot in the pipeline in terms of a growth plan and more shops. At the same time, we see some that are really struggling. Some mom-and-pops can’t necessarily compete with some of the advantages of the bigger chains.
Faulkner, who is based in Edmonton and has been with Plantlife since 2019, recalls the rapid expansion of the market in those early days of legalization. He says that while growth has obviously slowed, he still sees a healthy market with opportunities.
“I still think there’s some growth there, at least on the Plantlife side. I also think the craft and premium categories are bringing in new consumers that are helping with our growth. So I don’t think we’re at a plateau yet, I think we’re a couple years from that.”
What has become more noticeable as the market matures, says Faulkner, are some of the seasonal and regional nuances of sales. Some areas have more budget-focused shoppers, while others prefer large format flower SKUs or high-potency products.
“We do see completely different trends in different regions,” he explains. “Calgary, for example, is known for being more bargain-based, especially with a large number of university students. When we go north into places like Fort Mac, we see a lot of high potency, high-end products, and concentrates,” something he attributes to more customers working in the trades.
Cannabis beverages on display at a retailer in British Columbia
Meanwhile, beverages sell better in the summer, along with customers just popping in for something convenient like a pre-roll, while winter sales—especially around the holidays—focus more on large-volume purchases.
“Pre-rolls are always popular, but we see a spike in sales in the summer months.”
He says he doesn’t think it’s gift-giving so much as people stocking up while having time off from work or school, or even preparing themselves for holiday gatherings.
“I find [seasonality] is a mixed bag,” adds Faulkner. “Year over year it changes as new products come out. With the holidays you get a lot more bulk purchases with consumers getting more things at once, as opposed to just one quick single purchase.”
Owner-operators are not going anywhere. There’s a ton of consolidation through franchises, but there’s a ton of indies that are doing well across Ontario that usually hyper-perform in their local areas. I think those owner-operators will keep their businesses, whereas I think we’ll see all the chains melt into one another.
There are still a lot of opportunities in the retail space, although he does see challenges for independent operators.
“I think for us [at Plantlife], the skies are the limit. We have a lot in the pipeline in terms of a growth plan and more shops. At the same time, we see some that are really struggling. Some mom-and-pops can’t necessarily compete with some of the advantages of the bigger chains. But we’re definitely seeing good growth on our end.”
Eric Chittim, VP of supply chain at True North Cannabis, with 48 locations in Ontario, says he sees a spike in vape sales in the winter, which he attributes to people not wanting to go outside to smoke flower when it’s cold out. Flower sales, he says, are more common in the summer, as are beverages, echoing a trend noted by every retailer StratCann spoke with.
“Wintertime would be heavy disposables and vapes and the summertime is high flower sales,” says Chittim.
Similar to what Fualker says he sees in the Alberta market, Chittim also says he sees single-digit growth through the next year or so, but sees that growth ultimately cooling off.
“I see us probably being flat or single digit this year. I feel this year is the last year of retail growth and next year is when I project downward trends for the Ontario market.”
While there are always popular, in-demand products that all retailers need to carry, Chittim says retailers need to also focus on bringing in more unique products that, while not always high-volume, can bring in a loyal clientele who then might purchase other products. One of those product categories is capsules and oils, especially as a budget-friendly alternative to edibles.
Cannabis capsules, oils, and topicals on display at a retailer in Ontario
“Capsules and oils are a rather small category, but it’s something with a pretty consistent base across all my stores. People are always looking for sugar free CBN products, be it oils or capsules. That’s an easy example of a wellness product that might not ever break $100k in monthly sales but will bring a customer base to your store. It is an easily overlooked product.”
However, Unlike Faulkner, Chittim says he sees a bright future for independent retailers and chains like True North. If anything, he sees more consolidation among chain stores rather than well-run independents.
“Owner-operators are not going anywhere. There’s a ton of consolidation through franchises, but there’s a ton of indies that are doing well across Ontario that usually hyper-perform in their local areas. I think those owner-operators will keep their businesses, whereas I think we’ll see all the chains melt into one another.”
Grant Sanderson, VP of cannabis retail operations at Nova/SNDL, says he also sees a similar growth rate, reflecting his colleagues and Statistics Canada’s regular-updated figures. SNDL is Canada’s largest private-sector cannabis retailer by store count, operating 187 locations across several provinces under its three retail banners: “Value Buds”, “Spiritleaf”, and “Superette.”
For sure 2025 will be an interesting year, and I think we’ll see a lot of things shake out with some continued consolidation, contradiction, and some full-exits this year.
Like Chittim predicts, Sandereson sees increasing competition among some of the larger chains as new store growth slows down.
“When markets start to stabilize, competition intensifies,” explains Sanderson. “Retailers are battling for the loyalty of the customer base, and we have to make efficient operating decisions. We all source products from the same distributors, so we need to distinguish ourselves from each other with a combination of convenience, price, service, and selection.
“For sure 2025 will be an interesting year and I think we’ll see a lot of things shake out with some continued consolidation, contradiction, and some full exits this year.”
Still, he sees a continued opportunity for growth, and into new markets, not only in larger cities that had previously banned retail and are now opening up, but also in smaller regions in many parts of Canada.
“There are still underserved areas across the country where I think there are opportunities for expansion and organic growth. I think there are a lot of spots across all provinces [that allow private stores].”
That growth can come in many ways, from leaning into new product categories to doing a better job of attracting and retaining existing consumers.
“That four wall execution means more today than it has in the past,” says Sanderson.
“That promiscuous shopper that is shopping around looking for a deal, I think there’s an opportunity to create more brand loyalty with that kind of shopper than there has been in the past. I don’t think it’s necessarily all about just price. It’s a mixture of price, execution, assortment, and service.”
Another area for growth is deliveries, which are still somewhat limited to mail order and delivery by retailers in provinces that allow it. If third-party delivery services are allowed to actually deliver cannabis for a retailer, he says he sees that being fruitful as well.
“I think when we see more red tape reduction around third party delivery, that will be the real catalyst to e-commerce. There’s still some growth there now, but that will change everything.”
Andy Palalas, the Chief Marketing Officer at High Tide Inc., which operates Canna Cabana—the largest single cannabis retail brand in Canada with over 190 retail locations from BC to Ontario—also sees continued opportunities for growth in the retail cannabis sector.
“Our same-store sales growth remains fairly strong,” says Palalas. “We also have opened up, organically, more stores than your average chain [29 in 2024]. This last year plus has been largely us opening new stores as opposed to acquiring new locations through mergers and acquisitions.
“Sales growth in general has been really strong over the past twelve months with new stores coming through, and we did about $33-34 million in January of last year. We pushed about $42 million in December. So overall the revenue picture has been quite bright for us. In terms of same store sales on mature stores, we still see meaningful growth in many of those locations.”
Like Faulkner at Plantlife in Alberta, Palalas says holiday sales are not particularly pronounced in the retail cannabis space. However, people do tend to buy more—mostly for themselves—if they are on a holiday break or vacation.
Beverages are definitely up in the summer, but they’re not a huge percentage of sales.
“I think one of those misconceptions about cannabis retail, at least in the early days, was that Black Friday was going to be a significant sales event for us. In cannabis retail in general, I don’t think those categories of cannabis are particularly conducive to gifting; we don’t see a lot of gifting going on.” [Not counting ancillary products, which he notes do increase in the holiday season].
In general, verticals like electronics and toys and other gitfables are going to do a bit better than cannabis at the end of that November mark. Really, it’s when we come into December, around the second week when folks start getting off on vacation, that we see enormous growth in sales.”
Infused and non-infused cannabis pre-rolls are popular year-round
As for seasonal sales and different product categories, like other retailers StratCann spoke to, Palalas says beverages are more popular in the summer and a bit around the winter holidays, while pre-rolls spike in summer and vapes increase in the colder months.
But while beverage sales spike in summer, he says it’s still a very small category overall, especially compared to flower and concentrates like vape pens.
“Beverages are definitely up in the summer, but they’re not a huge percentage of sales,” explains Palalas. “They are about a quarter of the size of the edibles category. Edibles are around four and a half percent under our banner, while beverages are about one and a half.
“So it does surge in the summer. It also has a pick-up in December. But pre-roll is really what we see surging in the summer. Pre rolls had a huge summer this year: it reached all-time highs in June, July, August of this year, even September. And we’ve seen that reliably pretty much every year. In general, vapes performed better this summer than they had in previous years. Pre roll is definitely the key category throughout the summer.”
Two trends in vape right now are the move to liquid diamonds, and the move to all-in-one vaporizers. Both of those have been a hockey stick up and to the right, with sequential growth that really hasn’t plateaued at all.
“Two trends in vape right now are the move to liquid diamonds, and the move to all-in-one vaporizers. Both of those have been a hockey stick up and to the right, with sequential growth that really hasn’t plateaued at all.
“Vape all-in-one devices still have lots of room for more brands to enter the space. We’re starting to see licensed producers release meaningful products in the all-in-one category. The category is wonderful because there’s a real hardware and brand component that is making the difference for consumers in that category.”
Lastly, Palalas notes differences in different provinces, something a large chain like High Tide is uniquely positioned to speak on.
BC, he says, is a difficult market for vapes because of a high retail tax and other product limitations. Meanwhile, provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan take the lead in vape sales, while Ontario shows more willingness among some consumers to pay a bit more for higher-quality or craft-focussed products.
“BC has been a challenge on vape, despite a clear consumer desire for all-in-one formats. British Columbia is a really challenging market for vapes because of the pretty onerous consumer vape tax. We do tend to index into pre-roll much heavier in that market. It is the leading pre roll market.
“Alberta is the second-largest vape market by share and number one by volume, with around 25-26% market share,” which he says “compares to Ontario at around a 21% share and Manitoba at about a 20% share.
“Definitely Alberta is a major ready-to-use market, notes Palalas, adding that he sees a lot of downward pressure on dried flower brands in Alberta and a decline in flower sales.”
In 2023, Organigram said most of a $124.6 million investment from British American Tobacco (BAT) would be used to create a strategic investment pool named Jupiter, focusing on emerging cannabis opportunities, including geographic expansion.
The first round of funding closed on January 23, 2024. The second round of funding was closed in August 2024.
“With all three tranches of the Jupiter private placement now funded, Organigram has approximately $57.8 million to further invest from its Jupiter strategic investment pool after completing investments of $21 million in Sanity Group and $2.7 million in Open Book Extracts,” said Paolo De Luca, CSO of Organigram (all figures in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted).
“Opportunities in the space have only improved with cannabis valuations at historically weaker levels and many cannabis and hemp companies unable to access cost-efficient growth capital despite fundamentally strong businesses. We look forward to continuing to roll out our international and differentiated product strategy supported by the Jupiter platform.”
In June 2024 Organigram announced a $21 million investment from its Jupiter strategic investment pool, giving it a minority stake in German cannabis company Sanity Group GmbH and, therefore, a foothold in the German market.
In March, Organigram announced a USD$2 million minority investment in Steady State LLC (dba Open Book Extracts or OBX) from the Jupiter fund. Based in North Carolina, OBX specializes in cannabinoid ingredient production and serves as a one-stop formulation and finished goods manufacturer.
The final round of funding from BAT comes with 7,562,447 common shares in Organigram and 5,330,728 Class A preferred shares at a price of $3.2203 per Share for gross proceeds of $41,519,891.
The aggregate subscription price of the shares acquired as part of the first, second, and third tranche was $124,559,674.36.
Organigram operates its flagship campus in Moncton, New Brunswick, its edibles facility in Winnipeg, its flower cultivation and hash production facility in Lac-Supérieur, Québec, and its London and Aylmer facilities in Ontario which it acquired in a recent deal with cannabis producer Motif.
The Aylmer facility houses CO2 and hydrocarbon extraction capabilities and is optimized for formulation refinement and post-processing of minor cannabinoids, as well as pre-roll production. Organigram plans to upgrade the London facility for labelling, packaging, and national fulfilment.
Cannabis, tobacco, and Canada
This is not the first entry of a tobacco company into the Canadian cannabis market. In 2016, Philip Morris invested US$20 million in the Israeli company Syqe Medical. Syqe created an inhaler for use with cannabis for medical purposes.
In 2019, Altria Group, the parent company of Philip Morris USA, paid $2.4 billion for a 45% ownership interest in Cronos Group, the Canadian cannabis company behind brands like Spinach and Peace Natural. Altria later declined options to purchase additional shares.
In 2019, Imperial Brands, a British multinational tobacco company, invested C$123 million in Canada’s Auxly Cannabis Group. That deal also included a research and development partnership similar to other deals.
The purchase price for the Hope Facility is $4.5 million. It is subject to several conditions including the company’s satisfaction with due diligence, financing, and approval of Rubicon’s board of directors. The Company intends to use the Hope Facility to increase its production capacity. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2025, with Rubicon projecting a first harvest in 2025.
“Acquiring the Hope Facility is a milestone for Rubicon Organics and further strengthens our premium production capacity, setting up Rubicon Organics to service the growing demand for our leading brand portfolio, and accelerating our growth beyond our existing footprint,” said Margaret Brodie, CEO of Rubicon.
The former Canna Farms facility was one of a handful that received a commercial production licence in early 2014. It was also one of the first of these companies to post a profit while large pubcos continued to spend more than they brought in.
Keith Strachan, president of MediPharm Labs, told StratCann in 2024 that the decision to ramp down production at the Canna Farms facility was made in 2023. This decision reflected, at the time, the declining price of cannabis and the small facility’s inability to compete with larger-scale growers, especially greenhouse growers.
“We slowly stopped cultivating there due to existing inventory and market conditions and just the ability to buy bulk flower at a better price than what we can grow it for,” explained Strachan.
Rubicon operates a 125,000-square-foot hybrid greenhouse, certified by the Fraser Valley Organic Producers Association (FVOPA) for organic cannabis cultivation, located in Delta, BC, about an hour from Hope.
In its most recent quarterly financials, Rubicon Organics reported $13.5 million in net revenue in Q3 2024, the three months ended September 30, 2024, the company’s highest revenue in eight consecutive quarters.
Rubicon sells three flagship brands: their “super-premium” Simply Bare Organic, premium brand 1964 Supply Co, cannabis wellness brand Wildflower, and the Homestead Cannabis Supply brand. As of the end of September 2024, Rubicon had over 294 unique SKUs available across Canada, with over 99% coverage of the addressable market in both non-medical and medical sales channels.
Featured image of the former Canna Farms facility in Hope, BC via Google Maps
Our March 2025 jobs article highlights roles across Canada in retail, production, brand representation, and more. Whether you’re starting out or advancing your career, explore the latest openings below.
As the industry continues to evolve, businesses are looking for skilled and passionate professionals to join their teams. From hands-on roles in cultivation and processing to customer-facing positions in retail and sales, there’s a wide range of career paths to explore.
Here’s what we’ve found for new job postings in Canada’s cannabis industry.
Alberta
High Ground Medican Inc. is hiring a Cannabis Technician for their facility in Oyen, AB.
In law enforcement news, Police in Montreal seized thousands of cannabis plants and dried cannabis, Edmonton Police are seeking help identifying suspects in several recent cannabis store robberies, and Police in Nova Scotia charged 21 people in connection with 13 illegal cannabis stores.
Dank Cannabis ran a sponsored post about delivery options from their Okotoks, Alberta store.
Tether hosts its fourth annual Budtender Appreciation Week, with industry events in Calgary, London, Vancouver, and online from March 24-30.
Cannara Biotech Inc. announced the extension and related amendments to its existing credit agreement with the Bank of Montreal (BMO) and convertible debenture initially issued on June 21, 2021, as amended on August 31, 2023, and January 30, 2024, in the total initial principal amount of $5.7 million to Olymbec Investments Inc.
Organigram welcomed New Brunswick Minister Luke Randall, president & CEO of Cannabis NB Lori Stickles, as well as Jay Reid from Opportunities NB to its facility in Moncton.
A sign announcing the opening of an unlicensed cannabis vape shop at the entrance to the Abenaki community of Wôlinak in Quebecraises concerns from some community members and elected officials.
The Telegraph Journal shared comments from several people in connection to recent and ongoing enforcement actions in New Brunswick against unlicensed cannabis stores, including Kyle Caplin of Eel River Bar First Nation (brother of L’Nuk Lounge owner Cody Caplin, former provincial health minister Bruce Fitch, Delbert Riley, constitutional lawyer Lyle Skinner, and provincial Justice and Public Safety spokesperson Allan Dearing, who all debate the legality of such shops.
BC’s director of civil forfeiture is claiming forfeiture of $574,100 in Canadian currency and a cryptocurrency key seized during a search of a Prince George apartment that they say is connected to the illegal production and sale of cannabis.
Tilray Brands, Inc. announced that its 420 festivities this year will spotlight Tilray’s leading recreational cannabis brands—Good Supply, Redecan, Broken Coast, and XMG—through nationwide activations, pop-up events, and a marquee concert featuring multi-platinum artist Don Toliveron April 17, 2025, at Rebel, the iconic venue in Toronto, Ontario.
Simply Solventless Concentrates (SSC) and High Tide Inc. were recognized by the TSX Venture Exchange as the 14th and 21st of the 50 Top-Performing Companies on the TSX.
On Friday, February 21, 2025, Toronto Police announced they had arrested one man in connection with a cannabis store robbery near Eglinton Avenue West and Dufferin Street area. One suspect remained outstanding.
Two young women from Montreal have entered guilty pleas in connection with the seizure of about 63 kilograms of cannabis at Halifax Stanfield International Airport last summer.
Suspects in a cannabis store robbery in Irricana, Alberta,were apprehended by RCMP. “In 30 seconds, they threw a chain around the door, and ripped the door off and cleaned the place right out.”
Horti Daily ran an interesting piece on CanAdelaar’s experience with converting a tomato greenhouse to cannabis production as part of the Netherlands’ cannabis supply pilot project. CanAdealaar is a cannabis company based in Vienna, Austria.
A California lawmaker wants to cancel a scheduled increase in the state’s cannabis excise tax of nearly 25%. If the state Legislature were to pass Assembly Bill 564–written by Assembly Member Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat–the state’s cannabis excise tax would stay at 15%, with no adjustments allowed. California collected more than $625 million in cannabis excise taxes in 2023, according to state data.
A judge handed an $18 million preliminary award to Cookies founder Gilbert Anthony “Berner” Milam Jr., the latest in an ongoing dispute between the company’s founders and its investors.
And finally, lawmakers in Washington are considering a bill that would authorize cannabis use in regulated environments. Currently, cannabis use is only legal on private property in the state.
Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd. has closed its previously announced acquisition of all the outstanding shares of Delta 9 Bio-Tech Inc. from Delta 9 Cannabis Inc.
Simply Solventless (SSC) also announced that it has changed Bio-Tech’s corporate name to Humble Grow Co.
“The closing of the Bio-Tech Acquisition and subsequent rebranding to Humble Grow Co. marks a significant milestone for SSC,” said Jeff Swainson, president and CEO of SSC, “and we thank all parties involved. SSC has world class processing capabilities in prerolls, vapes, and concentrates, and we now own a lean, profitable, complimentary cultivation asset that produces high-quality, internationally exportable flower for among the lowest per gram indoor cultivation costs in Canada. The operational integration of Bio-Tech is largely complete, and looking forward, we will focus on expanding Humble revenue while we continue to execute our highly impactful business plan focused on organic revenue growth and opportunistic acquisitions.”
SSC reports that Bio-Tech currently produces approximately 9,000 kilograms of cannabis per year. The cannabis processor believes that with roughly $4 million in capital investment, production could potentially increase to 15,000-18,000 kilograms per year, but this is not planned at this time.
Bio-Tech services the recreational dried flower markets in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and the Maritimes, and the business-to-business wholesale market in Canada and internationally.
At the end of 2024, Simply Solventless Concentrates Ltd. entered into a share purchase agreement with Delta 9 Cannabis Inc. to acquire all of Delta 9 Bio-Tech Inc.’s issued and outstanding shares.
The deal was expected to add around $12 million in revenue when it was first announced.
In a press release at the time, SSC, which does not produce flower itself, said that the acquisition of Delta 9 will help the company continue to make inroads in the dried flower market following its recent acquisition of pre-roll manufacturer ANC Inc. for $10 million. SSC expects that the all-in cash cost to cultivate cannabis through Delta 9 will be approximately $0.60-$0.70 per gram, among the lowest for indoor cannabis in Canada.
SSC also announced that it has appointed James Clarke to the position of Vice President, Corporate Services. James currently serves as COO of ANC, a wholly owned subsidiary of SSC. James is a detail-oriented professional with a strong passion for electronics and technology. James developed a diverse skill set and a wealth of knowledge over 14 years in the oilfield industry and over five years in cannabis.
As a founder of ANC, James demonstrated exceptional leadership and versatility by successfully completing all necessary tasks to get the company up and running. Known for a meticulous approach and a love for innovation, James consistently delivers high-quality work and is always eager to explore new technologies to solve complex problems.
The cannabis will be distributed in New Zealand by Medleaf Therapeutics under its Bloom brand, which was created specifically for products from Pure Sunfarms. Medleaf is an established New Zealand-based medical cannabis company collaborating with clinics and healthcare practitioners nationwide.
The shipment features Pink Kush, the top-selling dried flower strain in Canada over the past four years.
“Pink Kush is a major contributor to the continuing success of Village Farms’ Canadian Cannabis business and is being sought out internationally as we continue expanding our presence in strategic markets around the world,” says Michael DeGiglio, CEO of Village Farms.
“We are proud to export Pure Sunfarms’ leading cannabis products to growing international medical markets, and to announce this partnership with Medleaf. The addition of New Zealand to our international portfolio represents another meaningful step forward in our strategy to continue to grow our international cannabis business.”
The New Zealand cannabis market, which brought in about US$45 million in 2023, is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 58% by 2030.
Courtney Letica, Chief Executive Officer of Medleaf, added: “We are excited to bring Canada’s number one cannabis product to New Zealand patients. Pure Sunfarms’ renowned Pink Kush has an amazing track record and we are eager to share this offering.”
Medleaf Therapeutics was founded in 2018 and is one of the leading local Cannabis suppliers in New Zealand. It is focused exclusively on branding, distribution, and sales.
Village Farms International operates two cannabis facilities for the Canadian legal adult use (recreational) market and for export to international markets like Israel, Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom. The company’s Canadian Cannabis segment comprises Pure Sunfarms in BC and an 80% ownership in Rose LifeScience in Quebec.
The company also holds one of only ten licenses to participate in the Dutch recreational cannabis program. In the most recent quarter, its ownership of Netherlands producer Leli Holland increased from 85% to 100%.
In its most recent quarterly report, Village Farms’ international sales increased by 94%, primarily due to higher sales to Germany, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
Authorized medical patients in Germany will be able to access Jack Herer, a new sativa-dominant cultivar; Balanced Caramel and Wappa, two indica-prominent strains; and Gelato 33, a balanced hybrid strain.
This builds on Tweed’s initial introduction of Glitter Bomb, an indica-dominant high THC strain, to the German medical market earlier in December 2024. That happened through an agreement with Cansativa GmbH (Cansativa), a vertically integrated German cannabis cultivator and distributor.
In addition to its flagship operations in Canada, Canopy Growth has a presence in Australia, Germany, Poland, and other specific international markets. The company also produces, distributes, and sells vaporizers and similar cannabis accessories in various global markets, including the United States.
In its most recent quarterly report for the three months ending December 31, 2024, Canopy’s international market net revenue increased 14% year-over-year, with strong growth in Poland and Germany. This growth was partially offset by a decline in Australian medical cannabis sales and the exit of US CBD sales earlier this fiscal year.
“As a leader in medical cannabis, Canopy Growth is expanding its German product lineup with the launch of the Tweed brand as well as new genetics to meet the growing needs of patients and healthcare practitioners,” said Luc Mongeau, Canopy Growth’s new CEO.
“Through strategic agreements with EU-based cultivators and continued supply from our EU-GMP facility in Canada, Canopy Growth is focused on delivering a consistent, reliable flower supply enabling healthcare practitioners to confidently prescribe Tweed for patients across Germany.”
According to the Canadian government, exports of cannabis for medical purposes have continued to show significant increases in recent years. In the first six months of 2024, 67,475.28 kilograms of dried cannabis were exported to the international market, and in 2023, 79,279.75 kilograms were exported.
Australia received the most—3,512.5 kilograms, a 5% year-over-year increase. Germany was second with 1,546.2 kg, down by 27% year-over-year. Czechia was third, followed by Israel, Portugal, the Netherlands, and the UK.
While Germany’s medical cannabis market has been growing, with two of three production licences in the country going to Canadian companies Aurora Cannabis and Aphria, the recently-elected Conservative government has promised to push back on Germany’s cannabis laws. What that means for the country’s growing medical cannabis space is uncertain.
Finn Haensel, CEO and Founder of Berline-based Sanity Group, an EU-based cannabis company, told StratCann recently that he is confident the Conservative government won’t touch medical cannabis,
“If you read publicly what they are saying, they don’t differentiate, they just say cannabis,” said Haensel. “But we talked a lot with politicians over the last six months. We had very good exchanges with the conservative politicians, and when you talk to them, they say they only want to take back adult-use and don’t want to touch medical.”
In February 2024, Germany passed the German Medical Cannabis Act, expanding the country’s medical cannabis laws.
Germany is also a gateway into the expanding European market and is the largest medical cannabis market in Europe, with a population of 83 million, more than double that of Canada.
Other European countries, including Switzerland, Spain, France, the Czech Republic, Malta, the Netherlands, and Ukraine, are also considering or are in the process of implementing various cannabis laws.
Germany legalized cannabis for non-medical purposes this past March, with the law coming into effect in stages. On April 1, personal possession and cultivation became legal. On July 1, the country began allowing cannabis growing clubs. However, the country does not allow the sale of cannabis except for non-medical purposes.
Germany’s conservatives pledged to overturn the 2024 legalization of cannabis if they win power in February’s election. They just won. What will this mean for German cannabis?
With over six years of adult-use cannabis legalization in Canada and far more for medical, it’s sometimes easy to forget that the end of prohibition is still a hot-button political issue in many existing international markets.
A case in point is the recent regime change in Germany, where the right-wing Christian Democratic Union (CDU) won the German parliamentary elections. While on paper this might not necessarily mean anything immediately dire for the German market, the shift no doubt raised a few eyebrows in Canada considering the sheer quantity of cannabis products that are regularly shipped to the European nation.
There is a whole list of topics that are very important for the government [including] migration, economic changes, and inner security. Yes, they want to take back the cannabis law, but it’s agenda point number fifteen out of fifteen points. It’s not a high priority.
In 2023, Germany imported a record 31,398 kg of medical cannabis products with approximately 50% of that originating from Canada, and the numbers have only increased from there. Further, several Canadian companies have expanded their presence in the German market including Organigram, Tilray, Aurora, Cronos Group, and various others.
Two steps forward, one step back
“[Germany] historically comes from a so-called traffic light coalition,” said Finn Haensel, CEO and Founder of Sanity Group. “That means left wing and Liberal parties formed a government together. This government fell apart in September or October last year. There were new elections this January, and what came out is that the Conservative Party won the election.”
Haensel added that the Conservatives said during their election campaign that they want to repeal the cannabis law. As dire as that sounds, he was quick to point out that Germany is required to have a coalition government, and will more than likely form one together with the Social Democrats. That was the group leading the old government, and they are one of the main driving forces behind legalization.
It should also be noted that the Conservative Party has not been clear about what it means by repeal. Does it mean the adult-use initiatives or the existing and robust medical system?
“If you read publicly what they are saying, they don’t differentiate, they just say cannabis,” said Haensel. “But we talked a lot with politicians over the last six months. We had very good exchanges with the conservative politicians, and when you talk to them they say they only want to take back adult-use and don’t want to touch medical.”
“What I could imagine is home cultivation will not be allowed anymore. I can also imagine that public consumption will not be allowed anymore because that’s something the Conservatives really don’t like.”
So if the conservatives want to take back adult-use initiatives and the democrats want the status quo with everything, including adult-use, Haensel believes that the compromise would be the medical cannabis laws remaining untouched and the adult-use getting some tweaks.
“[Social Democrats] will need to make compromises on the adult-use part. What I could imagine is home cultivation will not be allowed anymore,” he said. “I can also imagine that public consumption will not be allowed anymore because that’s something the Conservatives really don’t like.” He added that possession amounts will likely go down to something significantly lower.
Another important player in the German cannabis landscape is Constantin von der Groeben, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Demecan. He agrees with Haensel’s assessment of the current situation regarding compromises.
“It’s very unlikely we see a complete 180 on cannabis policy as long as the Social Democrats are part of the new government coalition,” said von der Groeben. “That said, there might be some concessions that will be made. Home cultivation allows three plants, maybe they reduce it to two plants or just one.”
“It doesn’t impact any of the LPs. Also the timelines are really important. This is something that was explained to me. [First] the government doesn’t get formed until, at the earliest, May. Then, even assuming they want to make changes to the medical program, they would need to start that process the second they get in. Given everything that is happening in Europe, that’s [unlikely].”
Deepak Anand, ASDA Consultancy Services
He also felt that there might be a reduction of possession amounts from 25 grams on your person and 50 grams at home to something lower, and also the repeal of cannabis clubs, of which there are only currently a handful.
Von der Groeben went on to say that Demecan’s business is fully on the medical side, so they don’t expect any significant issues. In fact, if recreational cannabis becomes less accessible, he feels that there may be more business because medical cannabis is easily accessible in Germany, and people will substitute adult-use for the medical side of the market.
“For the time being our 2025 forecast outlook for Demecan is still very optimistic. It is a bit of a downside that the overall sentiment from the new government will be a little more against cannabis,” he said. “The former coalition of the [Social Democrats], the Greens, the Liberals, they were totally pro-cannabis. They would have gone further. But the incoming government will be fine with the status quo.”
Our home and native land
It’s safe to assume that when this news came out regarding this regime change in Germany to a more conservative representation, it caught the attention of many cannabis companies in Canada who rely on Germany as a regular customer.
In the first half of 2024, Canadian medical cannabis exports nearly doubled compared to the same period in 2023, reaching 67,475 kg. This was largely driven by demand from European countries, particularly Germany.
Should we be worried about whether this will affect existing and future supply deals? Deepak Anand, Principal of ASDA Consultancy Services, doesn’t think so.
“It doesn’t impact any of the LPs,” he said. “Also the timelines are really important. This is something that was explained to me. [First] the government doesn’t get formed until, at the earliest, May. Then, even assuming they want to make changes to the medical program, they would need to start that process the second they get in. Given everything that is happening in Europe, that’s [unlikely].”
Haensel also agrees with that reassuring sentiment. “There is a whole list of topics that are very important for the government [including] migration, economic changes, and inner security. Yes, they want to take back the cannabis law, but it’s agenda point number fifteen out of fifteen points. It’s not a high priority.”
Regardless of this, Anand did point out that if your business is cannabis you are “basically in politics,” so companies need to keep a close eye on what happens anywhere and everywhere. However, regarding the current election involving one of Canada’s most significant international cannabis customers, it seems the message of the day for Canadian companies is ‘don’t panic’.
Calgary City Council voted 8-6 in favour of a motion to have city staff align the city’s bylaws to allow a permitting process and festival applications to allow for the sale of cannabis at minors-prohibited events.
The notice of motion was brought to council by councillor Kourtney Penner, who told councillors the goal was not to promote cannabis use but to align the city’s bylaws with provincial regulations. This is similar to changes made by Edmonton.
In 2024, Alberta began allowing cannabis retailers to apply for a licence extension for the purposes of selling cannabis at a minors-prohibited entertainment event or cannabis industry trade show. Municipalities must also sign on to the change, which Edmonton did last year.
“What this is is creating a legal business process that is in line with legislation from the provincial government,” Councillor Penner told her fellow councillors before today’s vote. “What is already happening is cannabis is being consumed at 18 plus, adult-only festivals and events.”
“What this isn’t is creating an open and permissive environment to use cannabis at those festivals. We already have regulation that defines where it can be used. So it’s not about a puff of smoke or a waft of smoke that you’re walking through. It is simply about creating a safer environment for sales on sites, just as we create a safe sales environment for alcohol. This is a legal substance where adults are making adult choices on what they choose to consume.”
“This is really about [regulation] and policy and not about the judgement we should be passing on people for what they choose to do as adults,” she added.
Councillors Mclean, Wyness, Dhaliwal, Chu, Sharp, and Chabot voted against the motion.
City staff will now need to bring such proposed changes back to council for consideration at a future date. That is expected April 15.
Currently, cannabis sales at events in Calgary must be made through an order-and-delivery method. In 2024, a Calgary cannabis retailer hosted a cannabis consumption space at the Badlands Music Festival, which included the ability to buy cannabis. Festival-goes could place an order on the retailer’s website, and the product would be delivered to the festival’s cannabis garden.
High Tide Inc. has paused its previously announced acquisition of 51% of Germany’s Purecan GmbH.
The deal, announced for approximately €4.8 million in January, would have given the Canadian cannabis retailer commercial exposure to the German market. However, during the company’s due diligence, High Tide said it had “reassessed the optimal structure for this transaction and is now exploring alternative arrangements” with Purecan that would allow High Tide to maintain its planned commercial entrance into the German market.
There is no guarantee that a new deal will go through, and High Tide plans to update the market as required. In a press release, the Calgary-based company says it continues to be committed to the German medical cannabis market and will explore both alternative structures with Purecan and other opportunities for entry into Germany.
High Tide’s retail chain, Canna Cabana, is the largest cannabis retail chain in Canada. It currently has nearly 200 locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario.
The new announcement comes just days after German Conservative Party leader Friedrich Merz won the German election on Sunday, February 23. The Conservatives had previously said they would overturn Germany’s legalization of cannabis if they took control.
Germany legalized cannabis in March 2024. The law came into effect in two main phases: the first phase, which allowed for personal cannabis cultivation and possession, came into force on April 1, and cultivation clubs were allowed in July.
Phase two was supposed to allow for a medical sales model, but shifting domestic politics slowed that process down. However, a limited pilot project for medical sales announced in December could allow for cannabis to be sold in retail stores in up to 25 different German cities, supplied by authorized cannabis wholesalers in the country.
The status of that program and cannabis legalization in general, following the recent elections, remains in question.
Germany is one of the world’s largest importers of medical cannabis, with a significant number of those imports coming from Canada. Canada’s Tilray/Aphria and Aurora operate two of the three approved medical cannabis production facilities in the country.
After showing signs of slowing down, Canada’s retail cannabis sales shot up to their highest level so far in December 2024, at just under half a billion dollars in one month.
Cannabis sales in December ($499.7 million) surpassed the previous high of $475.5 million in August 2024, and even exceeded the previous high of $469 million in August 2023.
All of these figures are non-seasonally adjusted; seasonally adjusted sales numbers are somewhat lower. Statistics Canada also adjusts its numbers over time, depending on data quality. The most recent sales figures are rated as “C: good”, the lowest of three ratings for data quality.
Unsurprisingly, retail sales were highest in Ontario, Canada’s most populated province, followed by Alberta, British Columbia, and Quebec.
Overall retail sales saw steep declines in early 2024, largely driven by declines in Ontario’s reported sales figures. While declines in sales after the holiday shopping season are expected, other provinces did not show a similar decline. If past sales history is repeated, expect significant declines in sales in January and February 2025.
December 2024 monthly retail cannabis sales were up $51.1 million year-over-year (YOY) compared to December 2023. This compares to:
December 2022-December 2023: $22.8 million YOY increase
December 2021-December 2022: $71.6 million YOY increase
December 2020-December 2021: $57 million YOY increase
December 2019-December 2020: $149.5 million YOY increase
The Toronto Cannabis & Cannabinoid Research Consortium and the Canadian Consortium for the Investigation of Cannabinoids will co-host the Canadian Cannabis Research Summit from April 30–May 1, 2025, at Victoria College in Toronto.
On March 22, the Humber Polytechnic Centre for Social Innovation, in partnership with the Ontario Cannabis Store and SEED Initiative, will host an all-day job skills training event for people looking to join the cannabis industry.
HYTN Innovations Inc. announced the launch of its Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Stability Program and the validation of its cannabis vape cartridges for international distribution. This builds upon HYTN’s announcement on January 21, 2025, of its strategic partnership with SNDL Inc. to develop GMP-compliant vape products.
Statistics Canada released their newest retail sales numbers for December 2024, with cannabis sales reaching almost $475 million, a record high. When looking at these figures in their unadjusted form, this was actually just under $500 million. It’s important to note that Stats Canada’s most recent figures are often later updated as new data comes in, so these numbers can change. More from us here at StratCann on these sales numbers next week.
A 16-year-old female in Winkler, Manitoba, was issued a fine of $2,542 for selling cannabis vape cartridges to other minors. She had purchased them online.
The cannabis company QcGoldtech, founded by former Montreal police chief Yvan Delorme, has just sought protection from its creditors, reports the Montreal Journal. Revenu Québec claims more than $685,000 in GST and QST, while the balance for the Canada Revenue Agency amounts to $1.6 million in excise taxes.
The fifth report of the monitor in the CCAA proceedings for Freedom Cannabis outlined the details of a stalking horse bid from a company connected to their largest creditor, JL Legacy Ltd, for a price estimated to be in the range of approximately $16.5 million to $20.5 million, with a closing date of June 30, 2025. The current stay period expires on February 28, 2025. The applicant is seeking an extension of the stay period to April 30, 2025, in order to implement an SISP. Freedom is also seeking authorization to borrow up to an aggregate amount of $4.5 million for ongoing expenses through the process.
A Sackville, New Brunswick man has lost his bid to overturn his conviction for robbing a former cannabis dispensary in Fredericton in 2018 and to lessen his prison sentence for the crime. The case arose from a violent incident at Buddy’s Cannabis Clinic on King Street in Fredericton, during which the man led three other men and his wife, Christina Melanson, on a mission to get back $25,000 he’d invested in the unlicensed business.
The theft of a commercial motor vehicle led to the seizure of 186 kilograms of cannabis in Revell Township, according to the OPP.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) intercepted a passenger arriving from Canada attempting to smuggle 142 parcels of cannabis, popularly known as “Canadian Loud”, valued at ₦290 million.
The BC Bud Corporation has announced that it intends to complete a change of business from being a cannabis brand and supplier to an investment issuer.
The company behind the cannabis brand The BC Bud Co.—which sells an array of products from flower and pre-rolls, to vapes, concentrates, and edibles made with inputs sourced from different cannabis producers—says the shift will bring greater value to its shareholders.
However, the company also emphasizes that it will continue to “operate and maximize the value of its existing cannabis assets while retaining flexibility regarding their future disposition.”
The company will evaluate these assets and manage them in accordance with its overall investment strategy and investment policy. As part of the Change of Business, the company will change its name to Digital Commodities Capital Corp and begin trading under the ticker symbol “RIPP.” Both of these changes remain subject to final CSE approval. Currently, the company trades on the CSE under the symbol BCBC.
If the proposed change of business is successful, the company’s new primary focus will be to seek returns through investments in accordance with its investment policy by utilizing the experience and industry contacts of the board and management.
Specifically, the company intends to operate as a diversified investment company with a focus on investing in digital and physical non-fiat assets, businesses, and private and publicly listed entities that are involved in high-growth industries, with a particular focus on hard commodities, cryptocurrencies, and the resource sector.
The company may also invest in other sectors that it identifies from time to time as offering particular value.
“With the dollar losing purchasing power and inflation eroding wealth, we are committed to positioning our shareholders ahead of the curve,” stated Brayden Sutton, CEO. “By investing in precious metals, cryptocurrencies like XRP, and strategic stakes in resource companies, we will not only hedge against currency debasement but also gain exposure to the critical commodities that power the digital revolution. We believe this strategic shift will ensure that our shareholders have access to the assets driving both the next monetary era and the infrastructure behind blockchain, AI, and advanced technology.”
In its most recent quarterly report for the period ending November 30, 2024, the company had $37,232 in revenue and $129,373 in net losses. This was up from $36,499 in revenue and $397,745 in net losses for the quarter ending August 31, 2024.
The company’s net loss over the past eight quarterly reporting periods was around $200,000 per quarter, with fluctuations due to adjustments for impairment of inventory and accounts receivable. As of November 30, 2024, the company had working capital of $436,937.
A draft resolution from the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), which seeks to create a pathway for the importation of cannabis from Canada, is raising questions inside Colombia’s cannabis industry.
As first reported in El Planteo, the ICA recently published a draft resolution to define phytosanitary requirements for the importation of dried cannabis flowers from Canada.
While the issue is raising red flags among some in the industry in Colombia, not all agree with the idea that there is even a need or demand for Canadian cannabis making its way to the Colombian market.
Deepak Anand, a Canadian industry consultant who assists cannabis companies with exports, says he doesn’t see how cannabis produced in Canada could even compete with cannabis produced in Colombia, given the extra costs for labour in Canada.
“Combined with the lower cost, broad availability, and minuscule medical cannabis market in terms of patients, I am not sure what appetite there would be to import dried cannabis flower into Colombia,” Anand tells StratCann.
“Combined with the lower cost, broad availability, and minuscule medical cannabis market in terms of patients, I am not sure what appetite there would be to import dried cannabis flower into Colombia,”
Deepak Anand, ASDA Consultancy Services
Lucas Nosiglia, president of the Latin America division of biopharmaceutical company Avicanna (LATAM), shared a sentiment similar to El Planteo’s. He doesn’t see how it would be economically viable to ship cannabis from Canada to Colombia.
“In Colombia, there is the capacity to produce flower of the highest quality at much more competitive costs than in Canada,” says Nosiglia.
Paula Andrea Cepeda Rodríguez, the general manager of the Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA), clarified with another Colombian website, Hierbabuena Revista, that Colombia has allowed cannabis imports since 2016. However, she notes that the ICA has not yet accepted any cannabis imports from Canada.
“It is important to tell the country that the ICA is not opening the door to cannabis imports because there has been a regulation in place for more than nine years,” said Rodríguez.
She adds that if Colombia wanted to limit such imports, it would require the Congress of the Republic to make changes to the law and corresponding regulations. The current draft document serves as public feedback to see if there is a local appetite for such imports.
“What we published for public consultation is a draft resolution that establishes the phytosanitary requirements for the importation of dried cannabis flowers from Canada, whose purposes are solely industrial and pharmaceutical use,” she noted.
1️⃣ He visto mucha confusión sobre el rol del @ICACOLOMBIA en la importación de cannabis medicinal.
The phytosanitary requirements include that any cannabis shipment from Canada is free of Cryptolestes pusillus, a species of lined flat bark beetle native to Europe, and Trogoderma variabile, commonly known as the warehouse beetle.
The shipment must also be free of whole seeds, meet specific labelling requirements, and pass a phytosanitary inspection at the place of entry.
“As the international market becomes more global and we compete with other producers in competitively priced countries like Thailand, Colombia, and South Africa, the market is increasingly looking to Canadian producers for top shelf product that is grown by our highly experienced producers.”
Philip Campbell, Herbal Dispatch
Exports of cannabis for medical purposes from Canada have continued to show significant increases in the last few years. There were 67,475.28 kilograms of dried cannabis exported to the international market in the first six months of 2024 and 79,279.75 kilograms exported in 2023.
Exports of cannabis oil for medical purposes have also increased significantly. In the first six months of 2024, Canada exported 10,489.38 litres, and in 2023, 7,078.9 litres. In September 2023 alone, 1,011.74 litres were exported, the highest month on record.
Some of the largest markets for Canadian cannabis have been Australia, Israel, and Germany. While Canadian cannabis has been in high demand by consumers and sellers in these markets, as their domestic industries gain momentum, there has been some pushback as well.
In early 2024, Israel opened an investigation into allegations of Canadian cannabis flooding the local market at below-market costs, making it difficult for some local producers to compete. In November, a 126-page final report proposed tariffs as high as 175% on some Canadian cannabis. No decision regarding the proposed tariffs has yet been released.
Some cannabis producers in Australia have raised similar complaints, although others in the industry have pushed back against these concerns.
Nosiglia, with Avicanna LATAM, also told El Planteo that he thinks this draft resolution from the Colombian Agricultural Institute could be at the behest of some Canadian companies that are searching for new markets for their products, pointing to reports of oversupply in the Canadian market.
“There may be an interest from Canada in exporting because they produce more than they sell, it is the after-effect of the boom in the sector where there was more growth than necessary,” he told the publication.
Cannabis exports have indeed been a boon for many Canadian cannabis companies, especially because international sales often command a higher price than the Canadian market. Exports have helped relieve some pressure from Canada’s very saturated cannabis market, and also do not come with the added cost of Canada’s federal excise tax, which can weigh down the overall revenue from domestic sales.
However, some claims of oversupply and even destruction of Canadian cannabis are often misrepresented. While some Canadian companies have been sitting on large amounts of cannabis in large vaults, these products are not always of a saleable quality, nor evenly distributed across the market.
Philip Campbell, the CEO and director at Herbal Dispatch, a Canadian company that also sells on the export market, says the oversupply of cannabis in Canada is not as much of an issue as it was in the first few years of legalization.
“The oversupply largely seems to have been addressed as the large vaults have been mostly sold through,” Campbell tells StratCann. “This is evidenced by the wholesale price on the Canadian Cannabis Exchange going up slightly over the last few months. There are some LP’s with oversupply if a batch doesn’t meet listing specs or a partner isn’t able to take a batch, which creates some buying opportunities still.”
“There may have been some large companies partaking in product jumping, but without knowing the specifics of a transaction that’s just speculation on my part,” he adds. “There is strong demand for Canadian products. As the international market becomes more global and we compete with other producers in competitively priced countries like Thailand, Colombia, and South Africa, the market is increasingly looking to Canadian producers for top shelf product that is grown by our highly experienced producers.”
El Planteo also published part of a letter that lawyer Efraín López, director of Colombian cannabis company Árpez Company and former official of the Ministry of Justice, wrote to the Colombian government.
“Canada does not allow the importation of cannabis for medical or industrial purposes from Colombia, why would we allow its entry?”
While Canada does allow cannabis imports for very limited medical or research purposes, the threshold for approval is so high that it has only seen about 28 kilograms imported between October 2018 and June 2024, out of about 54 kilograms authorized.
According to figures from the Colombia government, Colombia exported $10.8 million worth of cannabis in 2023 and $9.7 million in 2022. Of that, 32% went to Brazil, 25% to Australia, and another 14% to Germany.
Marigold PR is proud to announce the return of Radicle Femmes on March 6, 2025 – an event series that is all-in on the empowerment, celebration, and advancement of women in cannabis.
Radicle Femmes has quickly become a popular platform for women driving change in the cannabis sector. Since its launch in 2024, the community has partnered with more than 20 brands and attracted over 500 attendees from events held nationwide. This year, its International Women’s Day event promises to deliver even more value with thought-provoking panel discussions, industry data, and valuable B2B networking opportunities.
“Green Monké was built on community, and as a woman-led brand with a passion for the plant, we know the power of connection,” says Jen Lockwood, CMO and Co-founder of St. Peter’s Spirits. “This women-focused cannabis event matters to us as a brand—fostering authentic, supportive industry relationships helps us all thrive.”
The name “Radicle” was chosen with intention by event organizers. The radicle is the first part of a plant seedling to emerge, developing into the root and laying the foundation for growth. Much like its namesake, Radicle Femmes is about sparking growth in the cannabis industry. The event’s tagline, “I can’t believe we still need these events,” also captures a powerful reality. Despite the strides women have made, gender equality remains a work in progress in cannabis and beyond with only 20.9% of private sector businesses in Canada being women-owned.
Radicle Femmes Schedule of Events
Retail Revolution: Women Transforming Cannabis Retail From women-led stores to crafting retail strategies that resonate with women consumers, we’ll hear from powerful women who lead this space and how businesses are targeting this growing demographic. Panellists include Janani Nadesananthan, National Director of Retail Sales at IRCC; Katy Perry, Founder and CEO of Toke Cannabis; Ritika Kumar, Director of Marketing at High Tide; and Zaira Gaudio, Co-founder and Creative Director of Curious Cannabis Co.
Women and Weed: Unveiling the Trends and Expectations of Consumers Sarah England, Director of Market & Customer Experience Intelligence at the OCS, will share survey findings and trends that offer a deep dive into the intersection of women and the retail sector.
Crafting the Future: Women Shaping Cannabis Brands Hear from women who are redefining the industry on topics like building authentic connections with consumers, creating products that resonate, and fostering inclusive brand communities. Panellists include Emma Andrews, CEO of Nextleaf Solutions; Jen Lockwood, CMO and Co-founder of St. Peter’s Spirits; Marina Gorin, Senior Director of Sales at Weed Me; and Maude Arsenault, Advisor, Communications & Content Creation at SQDC.
Lunch and Networking The networking lunch at Radicle Femmes offers a relaxed, welcoming environment where attendees can engage in meaningful conversation.
“Radicle Femmes has become a space where people can find opportunity. We’ve seen women land new roles, businesses close deals, and attendees walk away feeling re-energized about the industry,” says Katie Pringle, CEO and Co-founder of Marigold PR. “It’s a reminder of the importance of community in driving real progress.”
Since 2017, Marigold PR has been at the forefront of hosting impactful events for women in cannabis, bringing together thought leaders and tastemakers from all corners of the country. Radicle Femmes has evolved into a cornerstone event for both the agency and the broader cannabis community, offering a platform that not only amplifies diverse voices but also creates strategic, targeted opportunities for partnering brands.
Attendance at Radicle Femmes is strictly limited to those aged 19+, and pre-registration is required. To stay updated with event details, follow @radiclefemmes and secure tickets early!
Two Edmonton-based cannabis companies—Plantlife, a cannabis retail chain, and Token Naturals, a cannabis producer—and US-based technology company, Metrc, are launching a pilot project in Alberta designed to improve the transparency and safety of cannabis products.
First shared in the trade publication Cannabis Equipment News, as part of the public-private partnership, Metrc will employ quick response (QR) codes using Retail ID to provide consumers with real-time access to data such as lab test results, Certificate of Analysis (COA), product origin, potency, authenticity, and supplemental information, including cannabinoids, terpenes, cultivar, and photos. Ultimately, this will help consumers identify legal cannabis products and learn more about them.
“Alberta is leading the charge in making government and markets more efficient by reducing red tape and unlocking the potential of private enterprise,” said Dale Nally, the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction. “This pilot is yet another example of that effort: using technology to increase consumer confidence and transparency, reduce inefficiencies, and keep Albertans safe.”
“Metrc Retail ID unlocks existing data from across the supply chain and makes it available to consumers.”
Health Canada proposed amendments in 2024 to expand labelling options by permitting the use of QR codes on any container used to package a cannabis product. The proposed changes would authorize QR codes on cannabis products for any purpose, such as inventory and tracking purposes, or providing consumers access to websites or other information.
“Metrc Retail ID unlocks existing data from across the supply chain and makes it available to consumers,” said Metrc’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Michael Johnson. “Instead of product information being siloed within businesses, we’re creating transparency for the consumer.”
Keenan Pascal, CEO of Token Naturals, says the Metrc system will help the company make buying cannabis a more consumer-friendly process.
“Token Naturals works to make the cannabis industry more accessible to participate in,” said Keenan Pascal, CEO of Token Naturals.
“By adopting Metrc’s Retail ID system, we would be ushering in the next generation of the cannabis industry, one that is transparent, responsible and engaging by leveraging existing information to enhance consumer awareness.”
Token Naturals will use Metrc’s software to generate and print product-specific QR codes and ship them with select products to Plantlife dispensaries. When a consumer purchases the selected product, Plantlife will provide a QR code sticker for the consumer to scan with their phone. Once scanned, the QR code navigates to a landing page that provides additional product information in a user-friendly format.
Plantlife Cannabis’ vice-president of operations, Ian Scott, says the company often receives inquiries from customers who wish to better understand label and packaging information.
“The technology reinforces why consumers should be buying from the legal, regulated market,” said Scott. “These products are rigorously tested and safe for consumption, and with Retail ID, consumers will now know exactly what they’re putting into their bodies—something the illicit market can’t compete with.”
Throughout the pilot project, Metrc says it will look to streamline the evaluation process by bridging the gap between cannabis growers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers, and regulators. Metrc has previously announced several track-and-trace partnerships with cannabis businesses in the US and internationally.
Rubicon Organics Inc. announced that its Delta Facility has received its CUMCS Equivalency IMC-G.A.P. certification, a certification standard for medical cannabis cultivation, harvest, and primary processing. Rubicon expects to begin exports in 2025.
Tilray Brands, Inc. announced the completion of Phase I of its accelerated growth plan for its cannabis supply chain, which began with increased planting in late 2024. Phase II of the growth plan includes planting the outdoor cultivation site in Cayuga, Ontario, in spring 2025. The company expects an additional 60 metric tonnes of cannabis annually from this, plus its Aphria One and Aphria Diamond facilities, both operating at capacity.
Aphria Inc. has agreed to pay $30 million to settle a class-action lawsuit by shareholders alleging the company made misrepresentations to capital markets in 2018. The lawsuit alleged Aphria made misrepresentations in 2018 in connection with its acquisition of a company called Nuuvera Inc. Aphria was acquired by Tilray Inc. in 2021. The settlement requires court approval. A hearing at the Ontario Superior Court is set for March 26.
A 955-square-foot cannabis retail store in a high-traffic area of NE Calgaryis for sale for $169,900.
The general manager of Kindling Cannabis Leaside in East York, Ontario, told the CBC her $10,000 OCS delivery was sent to the wrong store, left outside, and quickly stolen. An OCS spokesperson told CBC Toronto that incidents like these are “rare.” Toronto police and the AGCO both confirmed they are currently investigating.
The Telegraph Journal spoke with Cannabis Xpress owner Chris Jones about his new private retail store in New Brunswick, as well as Cannabis NB spokesperson Tanya Greer.
The owners of Dawson City, Yukon’s first and only cannabis shop, High North, are moving their store from its Second Avenue location to a larger space on Front Street. However, some residents are pushing back against the idea due to proximity to young people, reports the CBC.
High Tide Inc.announced the opening of its 192ndCanna Cabana branded retail cannabis location in Canada, the 77th in the province of Ontario and the 6th in the City of Hamilton.
Due North Cannabis in Ontario spoke with local media about using its new Spark Delivery marketplace app to enhance delivery services.
The owner of 99 North Cannabis in Squamish, BC,reflects on his decade-long journey from an illegal dispensary to a raid, to legalization, legitimization and awards.
Novem Pharmaceuticals, which provides services that include storage and processing of cannabis, has announced it closed on a final purchase agreement on the former BC Tree Fruit cold storage facility in Kelowna.
The Micmac Rights Association held a meeting on February 11, 2025, to discuss recent RCMP raids on February 4-5 of multiple Mi’kmaw truck houses that were allegedly selling cannabis. “Should any attempt be made to enter our community to execute any such warrants related to cannabis against our members or their privately owned businesses on our lands, we will take steps to engage Public Safety Canada and the Department of Justice to pursue self-administered policing services.” writes Chief Michelle Glasgow.
A BC Court of Appealsdismissed an appeal of the June 2023 denial of a retail cannabis application by the Salt Spring Island Local Trust Committee to Canna Northwest Enterprise Inc. in the Village of Ganges. Canna sought judicial review of the LTC’s decision, arguing it was unreasonable and procedurally unfair. You can read more about the background of that case here.
After four years on the run, a man who helped run a group called the Medical Cannabis Consumers Association in Quebec was sentenced to 38 months in prison (26 with time served) for fraud and cannabis trafficking.
In International cannabis news
Brazil’s agricultural research agency Embrapa expects the country’s health agency Anvisa to give a green light this year for a cannabis research program. Embrapa’s plans include creating a cannabis seed bank, adapting varieties to the Brazilian soil and climate, and helping to identify and develop regional cannabis production hubs nationwide.Bloomberg looked at the challenge state-legal operators in the US cannabis industry face when undergoing bankruptcy.
Cannabis sales in the province in the most recent quarter were $235.9 million, up year-over-year from $201.6 million in Q3 2023-2024 and up from $173.7 million in the previous quarter.
The SQDC saw a 17% year-over-year increase in sales compared to the same quarter of the previous fiscal year, and sales volume increased by 28.6% year-over-year. Quebec moved 47,843 kg of cannabis in the most recent three-month reporting period, up from 34,675 kg in the previous quarter and 37,215 kg for the same quarter of the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
The provincial cannabis agency attributes this increase in sales to the growing demand for cannabis extracts, which includes cannabis oils and capsules, as well as the limited number of resins, rosins, and hash that can meet the province’s 30% THC limit. The province is also looking to allow sales of cannabis vapes by the end of 2025.
In the last quarter, SQDC sold more cannabis at a lower price than in the same quarter last year. In Q3 2023-2024, there were 6 million transactions for all cannabis products combined, with an average selling price of $5.67 per gram, including all taxes. This is compared to 4.9 million transactions in the same quarter last year at an average selling price of $6.23 per gram.
The vast majority of sales were from brick-and-mortar stores at $226.5 million, compared to $189.3 million for the third quarter of the previous fiscal year. Online sales were $9.4 million, down from $12.3 million in Q3 2023-2024, which SQDC attributes to the postal strike last November.
The SQDC currently has 101 brick-and-mortar retail locations open in the most recent quarter and currently lists 104 as licensed, with plans for more in 2025
The $40.5 million in revenue from the SQDC’s cannabis sales, in addition to the $51.5 million it brought in from its 75% share of the federal excise tax applied to cannabis, mean that the province brought in $92 million, which it says was reinvested into health-related issues like prevention and research into cannabis.
If necessity is truly the mother of invention, President Trump’s ongoing melee over tariffs on Canadian goods is surely a doorway to innovation.
If nothing else, this looming financial burden for Canada has been a wake-up call for Canadians to realize that we can’t depend on over 70 percent of our exports being shipped to one country, no matter who it is. Doing so is a foolish exercise in dependency and sets the Great White North up to be beholden to a trading partner with a strong hand in determining our destiny.
So, as the initial shockwave clears and Canadian officials scramble to rebound from this weak negotiating position, many ideas have been floated to make trade more diverse. These include reaching out to countries in Europe and elsewhere and a renewed push to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers in order to expand domestic revenue.
This is because while Canada is a sovereign nation, many Canadians do not realize the incredible level of trade restrictions that exist from province to province, choking domestic trade and limiting the revenue Canada can make within its borders.
“We’re a giant country, but we forget that within that country there are a whole bunch of borders,”
While the threat of tariffs on goods entering the U.S. does not have a direct impact on the Canadian cannabis industry for obvious reasons, knocking down interprovincial trade barriers could be a fantastic and welcome opportunity for the sector and this has not gone unnoticed.
“This is something I’ve been discussing for a long time, from my previous experience in beverage alcohol in the Nova Scotian wine industry,” said Jonathan Wilson, CEO of Crystal Cure.
“We’re a giant country, but we forget that within that country there are a whole bunch of borders,” he said. Wilson added that in his experience, there are various instances where it can be easier to get products from international sources rather than from a different province—something that many sectors and companies have agreed with.
“Since confederation, all the provinces and territories have had their own governance [on trade], their own setup, and some are more protective than others. Now you see over 150 years later what it’s done. It’s caused a bunch of bureaucracy and red tape.”
Wilson went on to say that because of this, it has always been the norm for provinces to protect their borders by keeping a very watchful eye on what they deem ok to enter and exit in terms of goods and services.
“Let me sell to any retailer I want to, anywhere in Canada. I’ve got retailers in Ontario that would love to carry my product, but I can’t jump through their hurdles to supply six retailers, but I could do it if they weren’t in the way.”
Gord Nichol, North 40 Cannabis
Deja vu all over again
Reducing or eliminating Canadian trade barriers is not a new topic of discussion. In April 2017, provincial and territorial governments signed the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), designed to open up trade restrictions and create more domestic revenue. While it was a step in the right direction, almost half of the 345-page agreement was filled with exceptions and opt-out measures.
At the time, a report released by the Senate, Tear Down These Walls: Dismantling Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers, showed that provincial trade restrictions were costing Canada as much as $130 billion per year. These restrictions included everything from truck tires to alcohol to carbon emissions to many other goods and services.
In 2018, the conversation continued again, sparked by a court case in which a New Brunswick resident named Gerard Comeau went to Quebec to buy alcohol and was fined $240 plus fees when he returned to his province. Comeau fought the fine, and the case eventually went all the way to the Supreme Court, which upheld the existing laws. Nevertheless, the superfluous nature of the restrictions was on full display for the country to see.
Then, as recently as 2023, a report by the Montreal Economic Institute said that interprovincial trade restrictions were costing Canada an added 7% country-wide on goods and services. The report advocated for the removal of these barriers.
How would eliminating trade restrictions help cannabis?
“The first group it would help is the smaller companies, the micro and craft producers: the ones that don’t have the infrastructure, size, or cash flow to get into OCS, BCLDB, any of them,” said Wilson. He added that it would allow for direct sales to consumers, increased competition across the country, which would improve product offerings, and more unique products would see the light of day from coast to coast.
Gord Nichol, the owner of North 40 Cannabis, a micro-cultivator and processor in Saskatchewan, would also agree. He has demand in other provinces but the process of getting approved by the boards in those provinces can be a real challenge.
“A very good example is that multiple retailers in BC have been requesting my product and have been rejected by the board because they prefer to support BC cannabis, which is exactly what we’re talking about, interprovincial trade barriers,” said Nichol.
He went on to say that there are barriers to entry to every province that has a regulatory board and acts as provincial gatekeepers. If Canada could drop all of that, Nichol feels he could sell his entire inventory.
“Let me sell to any retailer I want to, anywhere in Canada. I’ve got retailers in Ontario that would love to carry my product, but I can’t jump through their hurdles to supply six retailers, but I could do it if they weren’t in the way.”
The move would also undoubtedly assist in eliminating the illicit market, which pays no attention to trade restrictions, said Wilson.
“[Provinces] hold on to their monopolies and protect their borders thinking that they don’t want to give up any revenue from controlling liquor, cannabis, whatever, but there’s a tremendous amount of opportunity to not only make sales tax, but revenue from whatever they are sending out. The pie can actually be grown.”
Wilson went on to say that for any of this to happen, at least in the cannabis sector, it starts with the federal government as it created the Cannabis Act. Then, they’d have to get the provinces and territories on board, which has been the hardest part. Tweaks can be made to the existing systems, but for any real change, Canada needs to rethink the idea of provincial and territorial monopolies and realize that there are other, more profitable ways to do things.
Most recently, President Trump continued his warpath on trade with Canada by announcing a 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminum, a further wrinkle in the uncomfortable conversation Canada is having with its largest trading partner. Having said that, the upside of this whole scenario is that it has started a deluge of discussion to once again consider removing domestic trade barriers—an idea that seems more and more blatantly obvious as the days go on and the trade threats continue.
Whether or not the cannabis sector will witness any positive side effects from these discussions and implementations remains to be seen, but making it easier for Canadians to get their hands on domestic products and services, especially at a time when Canadian trade is being threatened, seems more important than ever before.
Canadian cannabis companies are among the many participating in an upcoming Team Canada trade mission to Australia, sponsored by Global Affairs Canada.
In financial news, Aurora shared their Q3 2025 and Canopy also released their Q3 2025.
In other cannabis news
The Cannabis Program in the Cannabis, Tobacco and Controlled Substances Directorate (CTCSD) at Health Canada has shared a Cannabis Inspection Data Questionnaire.
Monthly retail sales ticked up a bit in November 2024.
Bromont is the second city in Quebec, after Sainte-Julie, where the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) will open its new “open-air” branch model. The SQDC currently lists 104 locations.
Organigram Holdings Inc. will report earnings results for its first quarter of fiscal 2025, which ended December 31, 2024, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025, before markets open.
DYK that out of the over 145 Canadian cannabis licensed producers AGLC works with, 40 are from Alberta?
420 Investments Ltd. is seeking to extend the current CCAA stay period which is set to expire on February 25, 2025 up to and including March 31, 2025.
City council in Kitimat, British Columbia, has voted against a business application for a new cannabis store, against staff recommendations. The decision was driven by concerns that Kitimat’s two existing cannabis stores are enough for the small town of about 8,500 people.
A new study making the rounds in the media says the proportion of new cases of schizophrenia associated with a cannabis use disorder has risen from 4% pre-legalization to 10% after cannabis legalization in Ontario (2006 and 2022). The authors say the study does not settle ongoing debates about whether or not heavy cannabis use can cause schizophrenia but notes that heavy cannabis use does worsen symptoms.
A research team from the University of Toronto is now looking for volunteers in Thunder Bay and Northwestern Ontario to help measure the long-term impacts of cannabis on oral health, especially on Indigenous populations.
International cannabis news
In a new series, NPR explores what consumers should know about the safety of the cannabis supply, especially regarding things like contaminant testing.
And finally, Oregon’s cannabis industry is drowning in its own supply, reports Axios. According to a new state report, last year’s record-breaking harvest exacerbated an already oversaturated market and dropped consumer prices to their lowest ever.
The term of the agreement between SNDL and Aurora is three years, with an option to extend and an estimated value of $27 million.
“Following our strong, third quarter performance driven by record setting growth in our international medical cannabis segment, Aurora remains focused on a balanced approach to operating a hybrid manufacturing network of in-house and third-party cultivation. We value our relationship with SNDL and their shared commitment to cultivation excellence,” said Miguel Martin, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Aurora Cannabis.
“As Canada’s leading integrated cannabis company, SNDL is well positioned as a supplier of quality cannabis products to commercial partners like Aurora. We have a shared approach to quality and cultivation excellence and look forward to expanding this relationship further,” said Zach George, Chief Executive Officer of SNDL.
SNDL posted $236.9 million in revenue in the third quarter of 2024, with an $18.5 million loss in its most recent quarterly report last November.
On February 5, 2025, Aurora Cannabis reported nearly $100 million in revenue for the three months ended December 31, 2024 (Q3 2025), $88.2 million in net revenue, and $31.3 million in net income, a new high for the company.
Featured image of SNDL’s Atholvill facility via Google Maps
A Canadian cannabis ERP company, GrowerIQ, will represent Team Canada in an upcoming trade mission to Australia.
The program, which will take place from February 16 to February 21, 2025, is sponsored by Global Affairs Canada and will include visits to cannabis markets in Sydney and Brisbane.
Andrew Wilson, founder and CEO of GrowerIQ, says the mission provides an opportunity for the company to further engage with Australia’s rapidly evolving cannabis industry and build on its current presence in the market.
“We are honoured to join Team Canada on this important mission,” says Wilson. “This opportunity underscores our commitment to innovation and collaboration in the global cannabis industry. We look forward to building stronger ties with Australian cannabis businesses and helping them achieve new levels of traceability, compliance, and operational excellence.”
GrowerIQ will showcase its AI-powered technology designed to support GMP-compliant businesses. The company is also participating in the Australian Medical Cannabis Symposium.
Global Affairs Canada is a federal agency with duties that include managing Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations and promoting the country’s international trade.
These trade missions allow representatives from different Canadian organizations to gain market exposure and pursue commercial opportunities and partnerships.
During the Team Canada Trade Mission to Australia, Canadian companies will learn about opportunities in various sectors, including agri-food and agritech, clean energy, mining, and information and communications technologies.
Highlighting past program successes, the Canadian government says a 2023 Team Canada Trade Mission to Japan led to at least 70 new contracts with an overall value estimated at nearly $30 million.
Export-ready Canadian companies of all sizes with an interest in the Australian market were encouraged to participate in the mission.
Australia is the world’s 13th-largest economy (Canada’s is the ninth), and Australia’s medical cannabis industry is closely connected to Canada’s. The country legalized medical cannabis in 2016. In 2021, Canadian companies exported nearly 5,800 kg of cannabis to Australia and by 2023, that figure was over 34,000 kg.
Canada’s legal cannabis industry contributed nearly $7.7 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2023, according to the most recent figures from Statistics Canada.
The majority of this was cannabis production, at nearly $6.8 billion, while retail added almost $900 million on top of that.
That number grew in the first four years of legalization but declined somewhat in 2023. In 2022, the legal cannabis market contributed just over $7 billion to Canada’s GDP.
The illicit cannabis market added another nearly $2.7 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2023, with another $892 million from illicit cannabis retailers, both online and brick-and-mortar.
In comparison, legal cannabis’ contribution to Canada’s GDP surpassed that of breweries, wineries, and distilleries. In 2023, breweries contributed just over $3 billion to Canada’s GDP, while wineries and distilleries contributed just over $1 billion. Legal cannabis stores alone contributed nearly as much to the GDP in 2023 as wineries and distilleries combined.
Licensed cannabis production’s contribution to Canada’s GDP surpassed that of gold and silver ore mining, local credit unions, furniture and related product manufacturing, the postal service, gambling industries, potash mining, dairy product manufacturing, coal mining, radio and television broadcasting, electronics and appliance stores, grain and oilseed milling, fishing, hunting and trapping, and ship and boat building, just to name a few.
The company will begin cannabis deliveries to Dutch coffeeshops on February 7, 2025.
Village Farms is one of a handful of companies selected, through its wholly-owned Netherlands-based Leli Holland subsidiary, to provide a regulated supply of cannabis to some of the country’s famous coffeeshops. Ten such licenses have been issued.
In December 2023, the first cannabis under this program reached the first approved coffee shop. Leli Holland has also said it plans to build another much larger production facility in nearby Groningen with production beginning as early as 2026.
The Dutch government first announced its plans for the project in 2022, which included looking into a “closed cannabis chain” for cannabis coffee shops in several cities across the country. On April 7, 2025, all coffeeshops in municipalities participating in the program will be required to buy and sell cannabis products solely from regulated license holders.
The goal of the closed-loop experiment is to explore the possibility of a quality-controlled cannabis production and distribution system in the country as an alternative to the current “tolerance policy” that has not-legal-but-tolerated “coffee shop” style points of sale, and unregulated, illicit growers who supply them.
A research paper examines the subject here, and can also be explored in-depth here. Currently, there are around 565 cannabis coffee shops in the country.
“Today’s news marks the culmination of nearly five years of work by our team to commercialize Leli’s operations, and we are thrilled to begin deliveries to Dutch coffeeshops and meet our previously-disclosed timeline to launch of sales,” said Michael DeGiglio, president and CEO of Village Farms International.
“With a long-established culture of legal cannabis consumption, a zero-tax policy toward regulated products, and a considerably more favorable pricing environment than Canada, the Dutch market represents one of the most attractive cannabis investment opportunities globally. We are confident in our ability to continue executing a profitable international growth strategy, and look forward to continued collaboration with the Dutch government to create a model for success in regulating cannabis internationally.”
Village Farms also exports medical cannabis from its EU GMP-certified facility in Canada to international markets like Germany, the United Kingdom, Israel, and Australia.
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