People won't be smoking legalized cannabis for another four months - but the New Brunswick government says millions in revenue from cannabis sales has already gone up in smoke. 

The original plan was for sales to start July 1, but the delay will cost the provincial government and it’s affecting jobs in the cannabis stores.

Now that we know Oct. 17 will be day for legal weed, other things are becoming clearer, too.

“Although it has never been the main focus, the delay in implementation will impact our revenue projections,” said New Brunswick Finance Minister Cathy Rogers.

The provincial budget in January indicated an expectation of $7.2 million in revenue between Canada Day and the end of fiscal year.

"Eyes shone, cheeks were flushed, the inner light of universal benevolence broke out on every face in happy, friendly smiles."

That's Aldous Huxley in his 1932 novel Brave New World, describing "soma," a drug provided by the state to help citizens cope in his fictional dystopia.

If you are looking for something to take the sting out of the current round of gloomy news, we now know the date that recreational cannabis will become legal in Canada: Oct. 17. What comes after remains unwritten.

Considering a career in the cannabis business? Now may be the time to take the plunge as licensed marijuana companies ramp up production and rush to fill jobs ahead of pot's legalization in Canada on Oct. 17.

"It's crunch time," said Jordan Sinclair, vice-president of communications for Canopy Growth, based in Smith Falls, Ont. "This is probably the peak insanity for the HR team."

The medical marijuana company has about 1,000 employees, but that number will soon balloon by more than half. It's looking to fill upwards of 600 new positions as the company prepares for the recreational pot market. 

The job pot continues to grow in Canada’s cannabis industry in light of the recent move to legalize recreational marijuana.

Want to become British Columbia’s new director for BC Liquor Distribution Branch's cannabis distribution operations? It comes with an annual salary between C$86,000 - $112,000. Companies, such as WeedMD (CVE:WMD), have multiple positions posted — from oil extraction technician to distribution assistant.

Industry groups have long complained that Canada lacks regulations for testing workers for drug impairment.

When the Liberal government introduced its cannabis legalization bill in the spring of 2017, it made sure to simultaneously introduce another bill with harsh new penalties and enhanced police powers to crack down on stoned drivers. But there is nothing in either piece of legislation that addresses another big issue around cannabis: testing for it in the workplace.

Industry groups have long complained that Canada lacks regulations for testing workers for drug impairment. This is particularly true for employers who want to institute random testing for safety-sensitive positions, such as pilots, crane operators and long-haul truck drivers.

Clearwater County Council has granted the first reading to a bylaw to clear the way for a 55,000 sq. foot micro-climate controlled cannabis facility southeast of Caroline.

Element GP Incorporated submitted an application to have the 157-acre location along Highway 22, just north of Secondary Highway 587, re-zoned from Agricultural to Light Industrial.

The applicants say the facility aims to source all electrical power, heat and air conditioning from Shell’s Caroline Gas Plant, which is only six and a half kilometers away.

The facility plans on using complex technology to destroy odor, recycle water, and a controlled CO2 system to improve plant photosynthesis.

Across Canada, colleges and universities are partnering with cannabis companies to develop marijuana-related curricula in anticipation of legalization.

With a promise to train students to become “leaders in the burgeoning cannabis industries,” Ontario’s Niagara College will soon roll out a one-year post-graduate commercial cannabis production program. The school developed the program’s curriculum in consultation with more than a dozen licensed producers. However, one of the companies that advised the school on its curriculum recently made headlines when two board members resigned amid a review by securities regulators into their trading activities.

The Senate’s June 7 vote to pass the federal Cannabis Act puts the bill on track to become the law of the land by September, in what could be a major boost for Canadian business.

After 95 years of prohibition, entrepreneurs will be able to legally operate throughout the supply chain, from production to retail sale to recreational users.

The wide range of professions set to see a surge of new work includes lawyers, scientists in testing facilities, academic researchers, consultants who help entrepreneurs with licensing, electricians and regulators.

The Maritimes budding marijuana industry is showing signs of growth this weekend in New Brunswick.

One of the region’s big players is expanding its workforce, and at the same time, industry leaders from around the world will soon be arriving for an international meeting on the future of the business.

Organigram already has close to 300 employees at its rapidly expanding facility in Moncton, and that number is poised to grow even larger.

“We’re looking for approximately another 100 people, and that’s an immediate need, so this won’t be our last job fair,” says Jeff Purcell, Organigram’s Vice President of Operations.

Alberta is one of the first Canadian provinces to launch a mandatory “safe selling” course for employees of its soon-to-be-legal retail cannabis industry.

The program, called SellSafe Cannabis Staff Training, is required for Albertans hoping to work in cannabis retail sales.

To attain such a retail job, a citizen must be included on the province’s list of “qualified cannabis workers.” To get on the list, a citizen must take and pass the SellSafe course.

To get a closeup view of the knowledge that Alberta’s looking to instill in its retail cannabis workers, I signed up for Alberta’s SellSafe program. Here’s what I learned.