A illegal marijuana grow operation in the RM of Rockwood, east of Balmoral, Man., in June 2017. (Photo courtesy Stonewall RCMP)

StatsCan to add marijuana economic impact to GDP data

Ottawa | Reuters — As Canada gears up to legalize recreational marijuana, the country’s statistics agency said on Tuesday it will begin measuring the economic impact of the current illegal use and production of the drug and add it to growth data. Statistics Canada said it will begin tallying the production and sale of cannabis […] Read more




A hemp plant in Alberta. (Jennifer Blair photo)

Post-secondary cannabis credentials on offer

Degree and diploma aggies interested in producing commercial cannabis and/or hemp will be able to get college-certified starting next year. Niagara College announced Tuesday it will launch a graduate certificate program in commercial cannabis production in 2018, a program it bills as Canada’s “first post-secondary credential” in the crop’s production. Niagara picked up approval this […] Read more


(VillageFarms.com)

Hothouse produce grower to devote site to marijuana

Canada’s only publicly traded greenhouse produce-growing company plans to put up one of its British Columbia greenhouses for a new venture in cannabis production. Vancouver-based Village Farms announced Tuesday it has partnered with Victoria-based medical cannabis producer/processor Emerald Health Therapeutics in a 50/50 joint venture to grow cannabis for medical use and, pending changes to […] Read more

(Jennifer Blair photo)

With demand, deregulation, ‘opportunities abound’ for hemp

CNS Canada — Aggressive contracting in the hemp sector is expected to bump up Canadian acres — another benefit for growers who will experience less red tape this year. “We’ve seen a lot of activity on the contracting side for growers,” said Kim Shukla, executive director of the Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance at Steinbach, Man. […] Read more


A hemp plant in Alberta. (Jennifer Blair photo)

Marijuana firms look to get creative with brand building

Ottawa | Reuters — Canadian marijuana companies, facing potential limits on advertising for recreational pot, are selling health food products and cultivating a lifestyle image to win customers in an anticipated multibillion dollar market. Canada is set to become the first G7 country to legalize recreational marijuana nationally when it introduces legislation next spring. Medical […] Read more

A hemp plant in Alberta. (Jennifer Blair photo)

Flower growers turn to weed ahead of legalization

Winnipeg | Reuters — Some Canadian flower growers are turning to weed, with the country’s plan to legalize marijuana for recreational use expected to spur a spike in legal sales of the drug. While medical marijuana is already legal in Canada, the Liberal government said in April it will introduce a law in 2017 to […] Read more


(Jennifer Blair photo)

End of reefer madness could clear air for Canadian hemp

CNS Canada — Anticipated legislative changes for marijuana production could spill over to hemp, according to the head of an industry group — but this year, Canada’s hemp producers are struggling to meet a surprise demand increase from Asia. “There’s lots of discussion with things changing in the marijuana arena; hemp also falls in that […] Read more