Aphria Inc. reported third-quarter revenue Monday that missed analyst expectations as pandemic-related lockdowns, particularly in Ontario, weighed on cannabis sales during the period.

The Leamington, Ont.-based cannabis producer said it generated $153.6 million in revenue in its three-month period ending Feb. 23, an increase of 6.4 per cent from the prior year. Revenue from the company's cannabis operations fell 7.8 per cent to $51.7 million, while sales in its SweetWater beverage division was $14.8 million in the first full quarter since the business was acquired in November.

Retail served as the main driver of a 118 per cent increase in Canada’s recreational cannabis market last year, with the much-anticipated rollout of stores in Ontario quickening its pace and Alberta witnessing steady growth.

“The opening of retail outlets drove growth in 2020,” notes a new report on Canada’s recreational weed market from Brightfield Group, a consumer insights and market intelligence firm for the CBD and cannabis industries.

48North Cannabis Corp. will lay off about 20 per cent of its staff as it ends outdoor cultivation at an Ontario facility.

The cannabis company's CEO Charles Vennat says the layoff impacts about 26 staff and comes as 48North immediately ceases operations at its Good Farm outdoor cultivation facility in Brant County, west of Hamilton.

The company described the closure as an important step toward profitability and when coupled with decreasing its cash use, said it will result in annualized savings of at least $5 million.

The Good Farm cut leaves 48North dependent on strategic partnerships with licensed producers and on DelShen, an indoor facility it keeps in Kirkland Lake, Ont.

TORONTO, March 29, 2021 /CNW/ - 48North Cannabis Corp. ("48North" or the "Company") (TSXV: NRTH) a vertically integrated licensed producer focused on manufacturing high-quality cannabis products and building progressive and thought-provoking brands, announced today changes designed to streamline its operations and further improve margins.

Police found 2,428 cannabis plants in various stages of growth. / PHOTO BY ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE, TWITTER

Two Ontario men have been charged with cultivating, propagating or harvesting far more than the four cannabis plants allowed for personal use, after Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) discovered the limit had been exceeded by 2,400-plus plants.

Although recreational cannabis is legal in Canada, adults are only allowed to grow up to four plants per residence (not per person) for personal use.

The exclusive wholesale cannabis distributor in Canada’s most populous province is once again searching for leadership.

The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS), which operates OCS.ca, the province’s only direct-to-consumer legal recreational cannabis e-commerce platform, has announced it has embarked on a nationwide search for the role of president and chief executive officer.

The OCS tapped Thomas Haig as the interim president and CEO in September 2020. That appointment was made following the departure of Cal Bricker, who began serving as the president and CEO of the crown corporation in September 2019. Bicker replaced Patrick Ford, who retired after helping launch the OCS and operated at the helm of the organization for a year.

The head of Ontario's cannabis business plans to step down later this month, the third such departure in as many years, as the Crown corporation announces it will conduct a national search to find a new leader to oversee the organization. 

The Ontario Cannabis Retail Corporation (OCRC), which oversees the Ontario Cannabis Store e-commerce site and the province's wholesale marijuana distribution, said that interim Chief Executive Officer Thomas Haig plans to leave his role, effective March 23. 

Many of us grew up in a society that prohibited the use of cannabis. When cannabis was legalized in 2018, it was a major shift for most Canadians. How successful have we been in changing the mindset from it being an illegal and stigmatized drug to one that is legal and socially acceptable?

Education about cannabis has been inconsistent across Canada. Evidence to support the best approach for cannabis education and awareness campaigns is lacking and historically focused on risk-based messages to encourage people to “do not use.”

Ian Kwechansky is the CEO and Co-founder of LOOP/POOL, an artist co-owned and social-forward cannabis brand that gives back to emerging Canadian talents. Here, he talks about why the company’s focus is on nurturing homegrown talent.

Cannabis and music have always been closely linked, not only as a part of the experience for fans at home, festivals and concerts, but also in the creative process for artists. It has evolved from Jerry Garcia fighting for legalization to John Mayer renouncing alcohol for cannabis, advocating how his “quality of life has gone up considerably.” The association between the plant and artists is an enduring one.

In a news release published earlier this week, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) sent a warning to the public about a child who had consumed a cannabis edible.

The child was treated and released from the hospital after eating an edible from a package of “Buzzy Peaches.”