It’s been busy on StratCann this week, where we shared our newest insight piece on the cannabis distribution systems in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
We also broke the story of an apparent robbery of a cannabis producer in BC, as well as a new BC muni now accepting cannabis retail applications, a new “sovereign” cannabis store in Saskatchewan, the OCS allowing new smaller-vehicle deliveries to their DC, and an update on the court challenge in Manitoba against home grow bans.
We also covered how the MBLL is handling a strike in Manitoba, and how the Alberta government is auctioning off a strange outfit originally intended for a cannabis education campaign.
Outside of that, it was a relatively slow week in cannabis news in Canada.
Several news agencies made rage-bait hay by reporting that Aurora’s CEO Miguel Martin received a base salary of about $590,500 as well as about $3.8 million in share-based options and almost $1.1 million in option-based awards in the past fiscal year, as well as about $815,000 in non-equity incentive plan compensation and $416,000 in other compensation.
High Tide filed a preliminary base shelf prospectus to replace an expired base shelf prospectus. The prospectus was filed in each of the provinces and territories in Canada.
Mission, BC Mayor Paul Horn says he wrote to Canadian health minister Jean-Yves Duclos on July 6, describing the impact legalization has had on his community, especially regarding the impact of designated and personal grows. The mayor also expressed concern with licensed commercial production sites.
Stats Canada’s Monthly Retail Trade Survey collects data on sales, e-commerce sales, and the number of retail locations by province, territory, and selected census metropolitan areas from a sample of retailers.
New monthly figures from Stats Canada show that cannabis retailers sold more than $415 million in May 2023—an increase of about $5 million from the previous month and an increase from $373 million in May 2022. The monthly increases were seen across most provinces and territories, with declines in BC and PEI. Sales in BC were down about 5 percent from the previous month, while sales in PEI were down nearly 36 percent ($1,868,000 vs $1,196,000).
Meanwhile, police in Ontario say a 20-month-old baby in Prince Edward County was treated in hospital after consuming a quantity of cannabis chocolate. The origins of the edible were not reported.
Also, a Canadian man was charged with importing cocaine and cannabis into Bermuda. According to prosecutor Carrington Mahoney, the cannabis in question has an estimated value of almost $474,000, and the cocaine has a value of about $201,300.
Finally, Lauren Kelly, a Pharmacologist and Associate Prof at the University of Manitoba, tweeted that she has finally received approval to conduct research on cannabinoids for drug-resistant epilepsy.
