image

ALBERTA DELAYS VAPES

Alberta, traditionally known for oil-economy conservatism, surprised a lot of people when it became “Canada’s runaway cannabis leader.” This week, Alberta surprised the sector again when the UCP government, citing illnesses associated with vaping, delayed the legalization of vape products seemingly moments before they went up for sale in the province.

  • The products won’t be available until the province finishes reviewing its Tobacco and Smoking Reduction Act, expected in “Spring of 2020.”
  • Materia Ventures CEO Deepak Anand wondered what will happen to vape products already sent to the AGLC.
    Twitter—Deepak Anand

Quebec (population: 8.49M) has likewise banned vape pens. Together with Alberta (4.37M), the two provinces boast nearly half the Canadian consumer market for cannabis.
Bloomberg

The AGLC shut its doors to Micro suppliers, saying, saying they do not produce enough product to meet “AGLC requirements.”
Twitter—Kieley Beaudry

  • Trina Fraser responded, “Provincial distributors […] should be working toward establishing quotas to include and support [micros].”
  • Materia Ventures’ acting director for Europe, Nick Pateras, said, “So even if micros raise capital, build a facility, and navigate the regulatory labyrinth to licensure, some provinces won’t even buy from them as a matter of policy?”
  • Defending the decision, cannabis historian Jamie Shaw argued local zoning issues and federal build-before-application rules are far greater non-provincial barriers to micro.
  • BC says it hopes to buy from Micro licensees once they are approved.
    Twitter—Trina Fraser, Nick Pateras, Jamie Shaw, Matt Lamers

Alberta changed its laws to allow liquor and cannabis stores to open on Christmas day.
The Star

Calgary police reported only a single charge of cannabis-impaired driving in the first year of legalization.
Ici Radio-Canada—In French

If Aurora doesn’t open its giant Aurora Sun production facility in Medicine Hat—whose construction it halted in November—it will cost the community 650 jobs.
Financial Post