A recent court ruling in British Columbia, Canada that focused on the "material change" clause in homeowners insurance policies could have the potential to shed a spotlight on the incompatibility of such a position with new federal cannabis laws. According to the Globe and Mail, The decision of Vancouver Supreme Court Justice Margot Fleming in February 2019 could very well have far-reaching effects for all homeowners in Canada who grow even a single marijuana plant inside their home.

B.C. has a marijuana shortage.

At least that’s the story with government-sanctioned cannabis products in the wake of the national legalization of marijuana last October.

“Supply is still very much an issue not just here but across the country,” B.C. Minister of Solicitor General and Public Safety Mike Farnworth said April 4. He said the province has been pushing for the addition of marijuana microproducers into the supply chain to ensure enough pot gets to market.

Supply issues began to plague market not long after legalization.

And doobie-desperate British Columbians can forget wandering down the street to the local dealer if that dealer’s become a neighbourhood nuisance.

There is a wide gap between what Canadians fear might be the impact of cannabis legalization on the value of their homes and what other jurisdictions have experienced.

Most Canadians believe legalization will hurt property values, according to an October 2018 survey by real estate company Zoocasa. The poll found that 42 per cent of respondents believed a dispensary located nearby would reduce their home’s value, compared with 36 per cent who disagreed. An even larger proportion (48 per cent) indicated that a dispensary nearby would reduce their desire to buy a home in that area.

Cannabis retail has rapidly emerged as one of the most important components of the marijuana value chain. Not only do retail gatekeepers control one of the most intimate parts of the cannabis purchasing experience, but they do so at a premium — making cannabis retail a likely determinant of any marijuana company’s staying power.

In this article, we explore some of the leading cannabis retail brands in Canada.

Beloved Vancouverite Seth Rogen launched a new brand of Canadian recreational cannabis called Houseplant on Wednesday, March 27.

The Pineapple Express star founded the Toronto-based brand with screenwriter Evan Goldberg in collaboration with Canopy Growth, a global cannabis and hemp company. The company launches after years of work designing a product that will, “make it easier for people to learn to love cannabis as much as Houseplant does.”

“Houseplant is a passion we’ve brought to life through drive and dedication,” said Seth Rogen, Co-Founder of Houseplant.  “Every decision we’ve made for the business reflects the years of education, first-hand experience and respect we have for cannabis.”

Since legalized marijuana began to be sold throughout British Columbia last October, B.C. municipalities are still waiting to hear how much cannabis related taxation money they'll be able to use. 

Having legal cannabis means some cities have seen extra costs related to the recreational addition, and are wondering if they'll have funds to pay for it. 

The delay in determining a solid plan for revenue sharing between the provincial and local governments has been slow for a number of reasons. 

The Ministry of the Attorney General admits significant funds from marijuana aren't expected right away, given the associated start-up costs with legalization, and only a few stores in operation. 

Cannabis has been legal in Canada for nearly six months, but educators and parents still have plenty of questions about how to talk about toking with teens.

It's a topic that Dr. Muffy Greenaway, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, deals with all the time in her practice. Since legalization of marijuana last October, she's noticed a difference in the kinds of conversations surfacing.

"There is much more open discussion about cannabis both from the kids and the parents," said Greenaway, who's also a clinical instructor for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of British Columbia..

"I've also noticed that kids are using much more."

The Niagara Herbalist is the first licenced cannabis retailer in Ontario, and after careful consideration they have chosen Greenline POS as their compliant inventory management solution.

“We chose Greenline POS because their team had the most working knowledge about real life cannabis retail operations out of all the POS systems we looked at.”

– Kevin (co-owner of The Niagara Herbalist)

For new cannabis retailers, opening up shop can be an exciting but stressful time. Greenline POS is dedicated to helping stores every step along the way, from initial inspections all the way to the grand opening and beyond.

A man who helped develop Canada’s cannabis policies 20 years ago is coming to the Kootenays next week to talk about how to save small pot producers from extinction.

David Hurford is visiting Nakusp and Nelson to talk about setting up a co-op that could help make more small cannabis operations legal.

“I don’t think we can understate the crisis a lot of people are going through,” says Hurford. “There are people in dire straights out there. People being forced to make very difficult choices, and the government has not created a pathway for them to become legal.”

On Monday the company released a statement confirming its new cannabis retail venture.

“Nine locations of Hobo Recreational Cannabis Store are set to open in rapid succession across B.C. and Ontario beginning April 2019,” the statement read.

Eight of the nine stores were confirmed for B.C., including locations on Robson Street, Granville Street, Main Street, and Commercial Drive. A provincial government spokesman said the Donnelly Group had not yet been issued any operating licences from the B.C. Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch.