If there’s one thing the western stretch of the Danforth, a busy street in Toronto’s east end, suddenly isn’t short of, it’s cannabis stores.

First it was Canvas, a brightly lit store in a former diner, part of a small local chain. Then, ten minutes’ walk down the street, Friendly Stranger, owned by national chain Fire & Flower, opened up shop. Then Green Merchant, part of a small local chain, opened a store across the street from the Friendly Stranger.

Finally, Canopy Growth, owner of retail chain Tokyo Smoke, confirmed this week to CTVNews.ca that they plan to open a fourth store in the neighbourhood, just across from Canvas.

As the inspiration from the first female Vice President grows, women are motivated to empower themselves and do even more amazing things than ever before. In celebration of this historic event, The National Cannabis Industry Association and the Women’s Inclusion Network by Arcview jointly released a set of five cannabis-related white papers that outlines the different challenges women executives face in the cannabis industry. 

Gen Z and Millennials are typically a marketer’s worst nightmare, especially those working within the cannabis sector. Not only are these the hardest-to-reach generations, but they also love to hang out on social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok, just two of many platforms that ban paid cannabis advertising. Yet, marketers cannot take Gen-Z and Millennials lightly since, combined, they account for 38% of legal cannabis consumers.

As Canadian operators race to strengthen their positions in the cannabis landscape, are international pursuits outside North America still top of mind?

The role that mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have played in the expansion of Canadian companies across the globe has been monumental for the growth of the cannabis industry. Now the space has reached a critical point as the demands of the US market increase.

With the dominance of the US rising, how exactly do international plays beyond North America fit into the appetite for Canadian companies and investors alike?

Cannabis company Indiva has secured a $22-million investment from an Alberta pot producer wanting access to the London firm’s product offerings.

Sundial Growers, an Alberta-based licensed pot producer, is lending Indiva $11 million and also buying $11 million in Indiva shares to give the Alberta firm more access to the lucrative edibles market, the companies said.

“Our core business is really edibles. Eighty to 90 per cent of our revenue is now edibles, so this gives them exposure,” Indiva chief executive Niel Marotta said.

Maine officially rolled out adult-use cannabis sales last October. Arizona, New Jersey, South Dakota, Montana, and Mississippi are all on track to open up shop soon, creating a greater likelihood that we'll see more cannabis dispensaries across the U.S. sooner rather than later. 

According to Zendesk's Customer Experience Trends Report 2020, "nearly three out of four customers (74 percent) feel loyal to a specific brand or company, and more than half (52 percent) will go out of their way to buy from their favorite brands or businesses."

Cannabis concentrates of all kinds have been growing in popularity, but last year, rosin rose to the top. This year, we expect solventless cannabis to get even more famous.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caught the world completely off guard. It changed the way everything works, and it made a significant impact on most industries all over the globe. The cannabis industry also saw some massive changes due to its impact.

Members of Vancouver City Council have asked municipal staff to come up with ways to cut the fees being paid by cannabis retailers in the city.

The annual fees charged to weed retailers dwarf those of other businesses, such as liquor establishments. While the annual renewal tab for a cannabis retailer is a hefty $1,500, the annual fee for a liquor store is $429.00, notes the council motion.

The Victoria Cannabis Buyers Club (VCBC), a 25-year-old nonprofit society that serves more than 8,000 medical cannabis patients, is facing a new threat.

The club has been the subject of multiple raids in recent years, but B.C. authorities are now targeting the building’s landlord in an attempt to permanently close the doors of the institution.

Despite support from the mayor and local city council to allow the society to continue to operate, an exemption can only be granted by the B.C. cabinet.