One of Canada’s biggest convenience store operators is moving ahead on its stated goal of getting into the retail cannabis business. Edmonton-based cannabis retailer Fire + Flower announced Wednesday it has issued a $25.99 million debenture, convertible to a 9.9 per cent ownership stake, to Quebec’s Alimentation Couche-Tard. The Laval-based firm said its planned investment […] Read more
Couche-Tard takes stake in cannabis retailer
Canadian greenhouse labor shortages worsened by growing cannabis producers
Ottawa | Reuters – Canada’s labor-strapped greenhouse vegetable and flower growers are ramping up efforts to keep and recruit more workers in the face of pressure from the country’s budding cannabis industry, farm groups say. “Many of the cannabis producers are very cash rich. They’ve got the resources to pay a very good wage,” said […] Read more
Consultations begin online for replacing Alberta’s Bill 6
A new online survey and direct consultations this summer are expected to inform the new Alberta government’s plans to swap out its predecessor’s legislation on farm and ranch worker protection. Alberta’s governing United Conservatives — who made repeal and replacement of Bill 6 a core plank of their platform before unseating the NDP government back […] Read more
Agriculture foreign workers get new path to residency
Updated, July 15 — The federal government has announced a pilot program that will make it easier for farms and food companies to maintain workers they recruit from around the world. Ahmed Hussen, minister for immigration, refugees and citizenship, announced the program Friday at Maple Leaf Foods in Mississauga. Why it matters: There’s a labour […] Read more
Ontario’s slow rollout of weed outlets could help black market
Toronto | Reuters — Ontario has blamed a shortage of legal cannabis from the federal government for its slow rollout of retail outlets, a claim dismissed by the federal government and regulatory bodies from other provinces, raising prospects the black market for weed may thrive longer in Canada’s most populous province. Canada became the first […] Read more
Weed leader Canopy Growth ousts co-CEO
Corrected, Aug. 27, 2019 — Reuters — Canopy Growth Corp. fired founder and co-CEO Bruce Linton, a surprise move that comes just a week after the Canadian cannabis producer’s largest shareholder expressed disappointment over its loss-making streak. The world’s largest pot company announced earlier in the day that Linton was stepping down, leaving Mark Zekulin […] Read more
Former Ontario Tory ag critic returns to file as assistant
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has added a second veteran MPP to assist Ag Minister Ernie Hardeman with the agriculture, food and rural affairs portfolio. Ford on Wednesday named Toby Barrett as parliamentary assistant to the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs, with responsibility for agriculture and food. Randy Pettapiece, who since June last year […] Read more
Canopy Growth Q4 revenue beats as cannabis sales soar
Reuters — Pot producer Canopy Growth reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue on Thursday, as efforts to strengthen its retail operations paid off and increased production capacity resulted in higher sales following Canada’s legalization of recreational cannabis. Marijuana companies in Canada have been pouring cash into their businesses to open stores and expand operations as the list […] Read more
Cannabis tax revenue below projections in early months
Ottawa | Reuters — Canada’s federal and provincial governments earned $186 million in tax revenues from direct sales of cannabis in the first 5-1/2 months of legalization, Statistics Canada data showed on Wednesday, after two major provinces cut their revenue forecasts. Statistics Canada found Ottawa collected a combined $55 million in revenue via federal excise […] Read more
Cannabis edibles clear for legal launch before year-end
Food products containing cannabis are expected to be on the retail market by mid-December at the earliest under new federal regulations announced Friday. Health Canada on Friday announced amendments to the Cannabis Regulations will be published June 26 to come into force Oct. 17, laying out rules for legal production and sale of edible cannabis, […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
