More bad news could be on the horizon for the Canadian cannabis industry. 

On Monday night, Dan Sutton, the CEO and founder of BC-based cannabis cultivator Tantalus Labs, tweeted that a senior account manager at the Business Development Bank of Canada — a Crown corporation mandated to help develop small and medium-sized companies through financing and other means — had notified them that they would not be providing relief to the cannabis sector.

As cannabis companies are increasingly feeling the impact of the pandemic lockdown with temporary layoffs and store closures, cash flow interruptions could lead to permanent closures for some businesses, Sutton said.  

As public health officials work to contain the coronavirus, Canadians are doubling down on cannabis.

Before the premier announced the province was in a state of emergency on Tuesday, Ontario Cannabis Store experienced a surge in sales. Sales were up 80 per cent on Saturday and 100 per cent on Sunday, Daffyd Roderick, director of communications for the OCS, told the The GrowthOp in an email. More than 7,000 orders were placed over the weekend.

In case you missed it, the World Health Organization (WHO) made the announcement that most people were expecting this past Wednesday, March 11: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is officially a pandemic.

In 2018 Canada took a huge step forward for cannabis reform when they legalized the possession, cultivation and commercial sale of the plant for adults, making them the largest nation in the world to do so. Since then, they have been under the watchful eye of many – like the states in the U.S. that have legalized cannabis – to see how it plays out. After a year and a half, Canada is still defending their decision to the United Nations (UN) Commission on Narcotic Drugs. 

Dear Herb: How am I supposed to legally transport weed in my car? — Road Tripper

Dear Road Tripper: As with so many issues surrounding legalization in Canada, it depends on where you live — the federal Cannabis Act doesn’t address the issue of transporting cannabis in a vehicle, so it’s up to provincial and territorial governments. The overarching theme across those different legal jurisdictions is this: Like alcohol, cannabis should never be in reach of a vehicle’s driver or passengers. Some provinces and territories allow cannabis to be within reach if it’s still sealed in the original container.

During a recent speech to the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs, a Canadian health official not only touted the government’s commitment to a strict regulatory framework when it comes to cannabis among its accomplishments but also said they wouldn’t recommend other nations take the same approach.

Michelle Boudreau gave the opening remarks for Canada at the 63rd General Debate of the UNCND in Vienna, Austria. In it, she outlined the country’s accomplishments when it comes to domestic and international drug policy.

Unsurprisingly, cannabis figured heavily into the remarks, but less expected were the comments that other countries should not emulate the Canada’s approach to the drug

The United Nations’ Commission on Narcotic Drugs last week decided to put off an important vote on scheduling recommendations related to cannabis.

A massive amount of ketamine and cannabis won’t be making it to the streets thanks to a joint operation by U.S. Homeland Security and Canada’s RCMP.

The trans-Atlantic, border-crossing drugs have been stopped in its tracks. The 3.15 kg haul of ketamine originated in Paris in early February, but was intercepted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Memphis en route to the Greater Toronto Area. The illicit cargo was transferred by HSI to the RCMP to continue the investigation, police noted in a release.

More than two months after cannabis-infused beverages became legal for sale in Canada, consumers in Ontario will finally be able to see what all the fuss is about.

Valens GroWorks Corp., a producer of cannabis extracts, noted the white label products it has produced in collaboration with A1 Cannabis Company, a subsidiary of Iconic Brewing, will be the first to market in the province in the coming days. Additional Canadian markets are expected to follow.

BASECAMP, what the company calls “a CBD-forward iced tea,” will be available first in select stores, with SUMMIT, “a THC-forward citrus water,” expected to follow over the next few weeks.

Retailers are wasting no time in trying to get a piece of Ontario’s pot pie.

The province received a whopping estimated 450 Retail Store Authorization (RSA) submissions on March 2, the first day Ontario began accepting the applications, Marijuana Business Daily reports.

After two highly-contested and much-criticized lotteries, Ontario is embracing an open-market system of store allocation.