Health Canada announced that in spite of the pandemic, it is continuing to review license applications as well as security clearances. The regulator (which warned last week of “limited inspections“) said the processes will likely be delayed.
MJ Biz Daily
- Health Canada emailed license holders a 19-page FAQ of information about how the regulator is changing its enforcement of the Cannabis Act and regulations during the COVID crisis.
Dropbox - Security expert David Hyde broke down the changes in a Twitter thread summarized here. Inside the Jar also went through the changes in close detail.
Twitter–@DavidHyde2, Inside the Jar - Trina Fraser explained how halts to sales inspections will work.
Twitter–@TrinaFraser
Though cannabis sales have been up across North America, analysts projected COVID won’t change sales very much. Consumers have been buying larger formats, implying hoarding, and there’s no reason to believe sales will remain this high indefinitely.
Financial Post, GrowthOp
Now this 👇👇👇👇 please please please do not try to build a long term strategy on what equates to a short term panic buying pattern – this is not an indicator of your consumer demand market . Be so very careful to accept the peak but use it to prepare for the trough https://t.co/PON3fVzNWv
— Sarah Seale (@SarahSeale18) March 29, 2020
Jobs don’t feel stable across a sector already having a bad year.
Global News
- Last week, I lost the freelance gig I’d held for several years writing Canadian news for Leafly when that company laid off 91 employees (40% of its workforce) with one week of severance pay.
Twitter–@badlin, - Among that 91 was everyone I’d worked with in Canadian news. The company blamed COVID, though the layoffs follow an initial 18% cut to Leafly‘s workforce (54 jobs) in January.
Business Insider, MJ Biz Daily
Are you one of those who lost work in the sector because of the pandemic? Cannabis at Work wants to help you: they’ve assembled a Canadian Cannabis Talent Help List to which you can add yourself if you’ve been laid off and are seeking new work in the sector.
Quick Hits
- After years of demands from advocates, the COVID crisis has forced the city of Vancouver—with permission from the federal government—to introduce a safe supply of opioids, stimulants, and benzodiazepines for drug consumers on the Downtown East Side.
Twitter–@angelasterritt, CBC Vancouver
