Cannabis producers in Southwestern Ontario – one of the nation’s emerging marijuana belts – are going on an expansion spree, a move an industry official says will help reduce the nation’s cannabis shortage.

The combination of high demand for pot products and growing pains in the nascent cannabis industry has led to empty shelves at online stores and bricks-and-mortar retailers across the country since recreational marijuana became legal in Canada on Oct. 17.

Meanwhile, the country’s legion of licensed growers, including several in the London region, are working around the clock to expand their operations to meet the growing demand for their products.

For two GTA municipalities, the idea of legalizing cannabis has gone up in smoke.

On Wednesday, both Markham and Mississauga city councils voted down the option of allowing cannabis retail stores to operate in their cities ahead of the province’s plan to introduce private retail stores for pot by April 2019.

Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie said council felt there are still too many unknowns about the retail cannabis model and what it will mean for the city.

Council shot down the proposal 10-2.

“The province has not given municipalities any control over where cannabis stores can be located in our city. This is cause for great concern,” she wrote in a statement.

If your province or territory nabbing the best deal?!

It's officially day two of cannabis officially being legal in Canada. While we are all probably coming off the high of such a big milestone for the country (pun absolutely intended), Canadians are shocked to see how different the legal purchasing experience is from province to province. 

Not only do some provinces get to buy in store rather than online, but areas of the country are also seeing some extreme price differences for legal cannabis. Meaning you might want to consider a road trip to snag the best bang for your buck. Here are the current prices per gram of legal marijuana in every part of Canada, so you can see how your province stacks up. All prices listed are in CAD.

Canopy Growth (TSX:WEED)(NYSE:CGC) was down 6.85%, Aurora Cannabis (TSX:ACB) was down 7.23%, and Aphria (TSX:APH) was down 6.08% on the day before legalization.

At the time of writing, it is the day of legalization — the day this massive market is officially opened and when the sale of marijuana begins to be taken away from the black market.

As a reflection of the volatility and the risk that is still inherent in marijuana stocks, let’s look at what is happening in the market.

If you want pot brownies for legalization day, you’ll have to make them yourself.

It’s cannabis legalization day in Canada, those looking to eat their weed, be warned: edibles in any form — brownies, ice cream, candy — are off the market until further notice.

The Canadian government has not yet allowed edible cannabis products to be sold for recreational use, apparently needing more time to create regulations around those products. The government’s backgrounder notes that edibles should be available for sale within one year of the October 17 legalization, but has not set a specific date, nor has it offered any more of a detailed timeline.

Some tech glitches, a few sold out products and a quest to find that first legal toke.

Well, it’s here. From province to province, government portals started selling cannabis, many at the stroke of midnight. So has the entire county gone up in puff of smoke? Read on-the-ground stories and analysis from across the Postmedia chain.

Ian Power and Nikki Rose among first Canadians to buy legal recreational cannabis. The first legal recreational cannabis has officially been sold in Canada.

In Newfoundland and parts of Labrador, midnight comes earlier than anywhere else in the country, and people were ready and waiting for marijuana to be sold to them over the counter.

At the Tweed retail location on Water Street in downtown St. John's, the first sales went to Ian Power and Nikki Rose, who lined up outside hours before. 

The lineup at the Tweed store started at around 8 p.m. NT, and steadily grew as the time ticked down to 12 a.m. Ian Power said he came early so he could "make history."

People in Canada are cheering, enduring long lines and honking their car horns in support as the country's first marijuana dispensaries open their doors Wednesday.

There’s a bit of a learning curve when it comes to understanding all of the aspects surrounding cannabis, but we’ve got you covered.

While a lot of focus has been placed on the technical aspects of cannabis legalization in Canada, this guide will focus on answering questions like: What happens to your body when you get high? Should you smoke or vape? And what happens if you get too high? This guide aims to answer some of those burning questions.

What is cannabis?

Cannabis is a substance made up of the dried and shredded parts of the Cannabis sativa plant, which can include the flowers, seeds, stems and leaves.

A battle is brewing over how Premier Doug Ford's government will divvy up the private sector's share of Ontario's retail cannabis market.

Legislation that would allow companies to operate pot shops in Canada's largest province is now under scrutiny at Queen's Park and businesses are trying to influence key details of the bill. 

Once crucial aspect of the retail regime that's still to be decided: how many cannabis retail licences any one corporation can hold. Government officials say there will be a limit, but that limit has not yet been set.