(Nuuvera.com)

Ontario medical marijuana producers plan major merger

A southwestern Ontario greenhouse firm billed as one of Canada’s lowest-cost medical marijuana producers plans to expand its reach by buying a rival firm sourcing cannabis worldwide for processing. Aphria Inc., based at Leamington, Ont., announced Monday it has locked in a cash-and-stock deal to buy Toronto-based Nuuvera Inc. for $826 million. The deal, expcted […] Read more


U.S. trade negotiators are skeptical of a Canadian suggestion that North American content in automobiles would be higher if the value of software and related materials produced by the three NAFTA nations were taken into account. (Ford.ca)

U.S. rejects proposals to unblock NAFTA, but will stay in talks

Montreal | Reuters — U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade chief on Monday dismissed Canadian proposals for unblocking NAFTA modernization talks but pledged to stay at the table, easing concerns about a potentially imminent U.S. withdrawal from the trilateral pact. Trump, who described the 1994 pact as a disaster that has drained manufacturing jobs to Mexico, […] Read more

A pair of Bombardier C series jets. (Bombardier.com)

At NAFTA talks, Canada hails jet case as victory for free trade

Montreal | Reuters — Canadian plane maker Bombardier won a major U.S. case on Friday, which government officials said showed the importance of free trade at a time when talks to modernize the NAFTA pact are moving slowly. A U.S. tribunal unexpectedly dismissed a complaint by Boeing against alleged dumping by Bombardier in the case […] Read more


(WholeFoodsMarket.com)

Feds pledge funds for organic standards review

A review and update of Canada’s organic standards for compliance with international norms will get federal funding to make sure it’s complete by its 2020 deadline. Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay on Friday announced the government will foot the “necessary funds” to the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) to cover the cost of the 2020 Canadian […] Read more



An unauthorized outdoor cannabis “grow” operation found by RCMP northwest of Winnipeg in August 2013. (Photo courtesy Manitoba RCMP)

Canadians spent $5.7 billion on cannabis in 2017

Ottawa | Reuters — Canadians spent an estimated $5.7 billion on cannabis in 2017, Statistics Canada said on Thursday, with the country on track to legalize recreational use of the drug nationwide later this year. About 4.9 million Canadians between the ages of 15 to 64 purchased both medical and non-medical cannabis last year, the […] Read more

(Video screengrab from CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

NAFTA negotiations grind on

Montreal | Reuters — U.S. negotiators are holding firm in their demands for a wide-ranging overhaul of NAFTA, sources close to the talks said on Thursday, raising questions about whether any real movement is happening at the latest round of negotiations on the treaty. Officials from Canada, Mexico and the U.S. are in Montreal for […] Read more


(CBSA-asfc.gc.ca)

Canada unveils ideas to save NAFTA

Montreal | Reuters — Canadian negotiators at the NAFTA talks on Wednesday unveiled ideas to address contentious U.S. demands for revamping the 1994 pact while Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged top U.S. executives to back free trade. The sixth and penultimate round of negotiations to update the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) opened in […] Read more

(CanniMedTherapeutics.com)

Aurora, CanniMed to form Canadian weed giant

Two major players in the Canadian medical marijuana market are set to create one of the world’s biggest pot production firms in a friendly $1.1 billion cash-and-stock deal. Edmonton-based Aurora Cannabis announced an agreement Wednesday in which it will ante up on its previous hostile bid for CanniMed Therapeutics and buy all the shares of […] Read more