The Yukon Party official Opposition seems to have embraced cannabis retail sales as a cause du jour.

The Yukon Party official Opposition seems to have embraced cannabis retail sales as a cause du jour.

Last week, party leader Currie Dixon addressed the legislature on behalf of cannabis retailers looking to tap into online sales.

It has been 3 1/2 years since recreational cannabis was legalized for adult use in Canada, he pointed out.

Across the country, this new industry has thrived, becoming a major source of employment and economic activity,” Dixon told the legislature.

“Despite the success seen in just about every other part of the country, businesses in the Yukon’s cannabis sector have struggled,” he said.

Retailers face 'perfect storm' of red tape and inefficient government pricing, Yukon Party says

Yukon's Official Opposition says it's time for the territorial government to butt out of the retail cannabis industry.

Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon says the territory's pot retailers are being "bogged down" by red tape, inefficient pricing schemes and taxes. 

"Around the country, the cannabis industry is growing and thriving, creating jobs and economic activity," Dixon said in the legislature on Monday. 

"However, here in the Yukon we are hearing directly from businesses in the sector that are being stifled by a perfect storm of burdensome regulation, red tape and inefficient government pricing structures."

This has been a summer to remember for the folks out at Arctic Pharm.

The cannabis facility is embarking on its first harvest, which is turning out remarkably well after a near-perfect growing season.

The farm is located near the Takhini Hot Springs and Yukon Wildlife Preserve.

Formerly Rivendell Farm, which specialized in organic farming, the staff at ArcticPharm say they’re following a different path, but in the same footsteps.

ArcticPharm is in the early stages of discovering what cannabis strains thrive in these conditions and which can provide the products the public wants.

In 2018, Canada made a historical decision by legalizing medicinal and recreational marijuana. It is also the first G7 nation to allow marijuana use. Even after two years, the demand for marijuana keeps on rising in Canada.

If you’re a cannabis connoisseur, read on to learn amazing facts about cannabis in Canada.

Cannabis Legalization in Canada

After prohibiting cannabis for almost 80 years, the Canadian government launched the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR) program in 2001. This policy allowed legal access to marijuana for Canadians who couldn’t find relief through regular medication.

The MMAR ultimately transformed into the Marihuana for Medical Purposes Regulations (MMPR) in 2013, having a more liberal approach.

Approximately 4,000 times these past two weeks, I’ve thanked my lucky stars cannabis was legalized before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe and sent us all cowering in our bong dens.

Yukoners led Canadians in buying the most legal pot per capita from retail stores in the first year of legalization, according to a study released by Statistics Canada.

The report on retail pot sales in Canada — online or in person — shows that between October 2018 and September 2019, Yukoners spent an average of $103 per person, generating $4.2 million in total sales. 

Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia followed Yukon in per capita sales at $97 and $68 respectively, while Ontario led overall sales at $217 million.

Per capita sales in the Northwest Territories were $61 and overall sales were $2.7 million. The study did not include statistics for Nunavut, because it does not have a physical retail store.

Be careful what you wish for, especially when placing an order for weed online. Returning it can be a challenge, with policies varying from province to province.

Here’s what the shipping and return policies look like across the country.

British Columbia 

Bought a product that’s defective, shipped in error or recalled? The BC Cannabis Stores will take them back, but returns must be initiated within 15 days of the purchase.

October 17, 2019, marks the first anniversary of the legalization of cannabis federally in Canada, and the date when the second phase of products — edibles, extracts, topicals and some other alternative cannabis products also become legal. 

Each province and territory were handed the reins for rolling out legalization, and the results in terms of access to legal marijuana are very different for Canadians depending on where they live. This has also had an impact on consumption patterns.

One year to the day after it opened, Yukon’s government-run cannabis store is closing shop.

The move is a sign of success, not failure, as the private sector has developed the industry to the point where the Cannabis Yukon store is no longer necessary.

“It went off exactly as we thought,” John Streicker, the minister responsible for the Yukon Liquor Corp, told Yukon News. “In addition to legal, controlled access to cannabis, the retail store has provided detailed product and health information to help Yukoners make informed decisions and engage in responsible consumption.”

Cannabis Yukon, which has sold just under $4-million of marijuana since its grand opening, has been replaced by two new stores — Triple J’s Canna Space in Whitehorse and Dawson City Cannabis.

Canadians with simple cannabis possession convictions will be eligible for record suspensions, but advocates and experts say it won't be so easy.

Bill C-93 came into force this month, and allows people to get fast-tracked record suspensions at no cost. A record suspension prevents a criminal record or pardon from appearing in the National Repository of Criminal Records.

The legislation waives the previous $631 application fee and ends the application wait period of up to 10 years. 

"What it doesn't get rid of, is the lead-up costs," said Samantha McAleese, a PhD candidate in sociology at Carleton University who researches recent changes to Canada's pardon system.