Cannabis is not the only industry that can act as a microcosm of the world but it may be the most prominent. Cannabis is still federally illegal so there are many areas in which people can be turned away from participating due to previous arrests for cannabis.

During the Fall Emerge 2020 Virtual Cannabis Conference & Expo, Minorities for Medical Marijuana (M4MM) Founder and CEO Roz McCarthy led a panel discussion with industry-leading advocacy organizations. Together, they addressed the myriad concerns surrounding social equity within the cannabis industry.  

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.

A Toronto man has been charged in relation to a delivery service that was offering illicit cannabis products, reports MuskokaRegion.com.

The Muskoka Community Street Crime Unit (CSCU) of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) began investigating the operation earlier this month. Officers allegedly observed the driver making several stops in the region on Feb. 1

After stopping the vehicle, police officers seized nearly $10,000 worth of illicit cannabis products, ranging from flower and vape pens to edibles and hash. They also confiscated $530 in cash, a collapsible baton and a cellphone.

York Regional Police issued a warning after more than $10,000 worth of cannabis products were seized from a Markham convenience store.

The bust comes days after a three-year-old girl was rushed to hospital in Belleville and then later on to a Kingston hospital after eating marijuana edibles that looked like candy.

Marijuana edibles are now legal in Canada, but you have to be over the age of 19 to use them and they have to be sold through a licensed cannabis retailer.

York Regional Police have charged two people working at the convenience store after a concerned citizen alleged they were selling edibles that looked like candy to underage teens.

Late last month, about 2,500 pages of documents landed on the desks of Manitoba government officials.

The documents contained eight affidavits and the package was courtesy of Jesse Lavoie, a 28-year-old former correctional officer, who has filed a constitutional challenge against the Manitoba government’s ban on home growing. Lavoie is represented by attorneys from Chornopyski Law.

Under the federal Cannabis Act, Canadians are legally allowed to grow up to four cannabis plants per residence. Unless they live in Quebec or Manitoba, that is, where provincial governments moved to ban home cultivation.

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.

A city councillor is hopeful this is the last year cannabis retailers in Vancouver will pay the highest licensing fees in the country.

A motion passed Thursday is the first step in slashing the $34,000 annual fee — which is nearly ten times what liquor stores pay.

Coun. Rebecca Bligh says the move is meant to help licensed retailers thrive.

“It was quite clear that there’s a growing concern that Vancouver’s market is actually growing, but in the illegal market,” Bligh says.

A Canada Border Services Agency-led operation that involved police and customs officials on both sides of the Canada/U.S. border has netted well over a half-ton of cannabis and almost a half-million in cash.

Specifically, the authorities seized 556 kilograms of weed, $467,480 in Canadian currency, US$3,000, three loaded handguns with their magazines, and five vehicles, notes a statement this week from the CBSA.

With provincial lakes and waterways populated by outdoor enthusiasts this winter, Manitoba RCMP are reminding the public that consuming alcohol or cannabis while on the ice is illegal.

With health restrictions still in place, and COVID-19 still affecting every aspect of life, Manitobans are using the great outdoors to gather and try to regain some semblance of normalcy. Ice fishing has seen a noticeable rise in popularity this year in southern Manitoba. The lakes and waterways are covered with ice fishing shacks, both permanent and temporary. In many places, the ice is a colourful cacophony of shacks, snowmobiles, and people.

As is typical of most entrepreneurs, I like to think that I am responsible for my success. Entrepreneurs do work very hard, and some are talented enough (and lucky enough) to become successful.