Cannabis Prospect Magazine - October '22 - Issue 23

Digital Marketing

Although social media platforms can be hard to deal with for cannabis brands – the benefits of having a social media presence surely outweigh the potential challenges.

The Nature of Work

As more time passes and cannabis employees continue to gain further experience in their roles, we’re starting to get a clearer vision as to what cannabis employees are looking for from their work and the cannabis companies they work for.

Cannabis Marketing

While companies are competing for market share, individual and collective success of the industry, in supporting the supply chain from producer to the end customer, building relationships across the industry helps gain the trust and loyalty of consumers.

Cannabis Prospect Magazine

IT’S HARD TO WONDER WHY ANY GOVERNMENT WOULDN’T WANT TO FOLLOW THE CANADIAN MODEL STEP BY STEP. BUT BEYOND THE RAW NUMBERS, THE INDUSTRY’S TRAJECTORY TELLS A DIFFERENT STORY.

Table of

The global cannabis industry is walking in the same footsteps as all industrial supply chain sectors.

Coming soon to an eStore near you is the ISO Secretariat, PRF IWA-37 Safety, Security and Sustainability of Cannabis Facilities and Operations.

In June 2022, the Canadian government introduced a complete overhaul of the private sector privacy law regime that both protects individuals’ personal information and regulates organizations’ privacy practices.

It’s hard to wonder why any government wouldn’t want to follow the canadian model step by step. But beyond the raw numbers, the industry’s trajectory tells a different story.

In this issue, Cannabis Prospect Magazine presents its fourth annual service directory with a handful of service-oriented companies in the cannabis space.

Although social media platforms can be hard to deal with for cannabis brands, the benefits of having a social media presence surely outweigh the potential challenges.

As more time passes and cannabis employees continue to gain further experience in their roles, we’re starting to get a clearer vision as to what cannabis employees are looking for from their work and the cannabis companies they work for.

While companies are competing for market share, individual and collective success of the industry, in supporting the supply chain from producer to the end customer, building relationships across the industry helps gain the trust and loyalty of consumers.

Events Galore!

By David Halpert

Nowthat the fall season is in full swing, so too comes the roster of events in September/October, old and new. If you work in the cannabis industry, it’s a feeling of renewal being able to reconnect with colleagues, talk business, and catchup with likeminded professionals first-hand from the otherwise drought of summer (Lift & Co. and O’ Cannabiz being the last big events in May and June, respectively). Now I’ve covered cannabis events here in my letter to the editor section before and their importance to the lifeblood of the industry but ever since the pandemic, I can’t help but notice a sea-change of sorts in the way they are administered and conducted. So I thought this would be a good opportunity to go over some of these changes in more detail without naming names or singling out one event over another.

1. Virtual Events Are Becoming More Accepted and Prevalant

When lockdowns first came into effect during the pandemic, virtual events were the only sensible replacement as they afforded dozens (or even hundreds) of participants to interact while at the same time remaining isolated in place from the virus. Pre-COVID, virtual events were arguably the less popular option compared to inperson events when it came to lead generation and interaction with potential clients. Post-COVID, there’s less of a stigma behind putting events on virtually as it allows more attendees near and far to participate, and event planners can collect sponsorship revenue and require less overhead to produce overall.

2. Less Licensed Producers / Cannabis Brands Exhibiting

The first big change I noticed in the fall of 2021 in the return from COVID to live in-person events was the notable absence of big-name LPs exhibiting at shows. While there’ve been notable LPs and processors in

attendance (Indiva, Ayurcann, Greenseal, JMCC and the CannGroup, just to name a few), noticeable absences were far more striking and apparent. Aurora, Hexo, Tilray, Aphria, Benchmarks Botanicals, Redecan, just to name a few. One of the reasons these absences were so striking, aside from being some of the largest LPs in the industry, was pre-covid these companies would have the largest booths by far in terms of square footage as well as overhanging displays, and while no one reason can be attributed to these absences, their disappearances cannot be denied.

3. New(er) Events taking Centre Stage

In mid-September I had the pleasure of attending the Hall of Flowers in Toronto, the first B2B event geared specifically towards cannabis retailers with licensed producers and cannabis brands exhibiting. The spirit of the event was warm and welcome and one of the most targeted events in the Canadian cannabis industry to date. Last year, I also had the pleasure of attending the Cannabis Executive Summit, this one targeting LP executives in the cannabis space. While annual mainstays like Lift & Co. and O’ Cannabiz will always have their place in the Canadian cannabis space, it’s great to see the inclusion of new events added to the cannabis mosaic, and a refreshing change of pace from the usual status quo.

As I always say, a higher tide raises all boats, and that idiom couldn’t be more true about the cannabis industry, a community that continues to be supportive across the entire supply chain and beyond.

Straight Dope

Funding

October 3-4, 2022

Global Executive Cannabis Summit Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel Toronto, ON https://canexecsummit.com

October 19-20, 2022

Security Canada Central Expo Toronto Congress Centre Toronto, ON https://securitycanada.com

November 15-17, 2022

MJBizCon

Las Vegas Convention Center

Las Vegas, NV www.mjbizcon.com

January 19-20, 2022

Lift & Co. Vancouver Vancouver Convention Centre Vancouver BC https://securitycanada.com/

To submit an event for inclusion in the Cannabis Prospect Magazine calendar, email media@cannabisproonline.com

Cannabis Prospect Magazine

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Cannabis Prospect Magazine assumes no responsibility for any claims or representations contained in the magazine or in any advertisement. All materials contained are for educational purposes and intended for the legal marijuana business. Cannabis Prospect does not encourage the illegal use of any of the products contained within. ISSN 2562-1033. CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL PRODUCT AND SALES AGREEMENT NO. 43596516

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Stok’d Cannabis Expands Retail Presence in Ontario with Opening of First Franchise Location

The founders of Stok’d Cannabis announced the opening of their fourth cannabis store, and their first franchise, located at 2978 Eglinton Avenue East, near Bellamy Road in Scarborough. Expanding on the success of the other Stok’d stores, this third Scarborough store positions Stok’d as the cannabis retail leader in Toronto’s east end. Stok’d Eglinton will be open 9am to 10pm daily, with summer hours extended to 11pm on Friday and Saturday. A grand opening celebration was held this Saturday, August 27th from noon to 5pm, where guests enjoyed free refreshments, a cornhole tournament, draws and giveaways. Additionally, Stok’d Eglinton accepted non-perishable food items to donate to the Scarborough Food Security Initiative (SFSI) on behalf of the community.

Rubicon Organics Announces Resignation of Chief Executive Officer Effective December 31, 2022

Rubicon Organics Inc., a licensed producer focused on cultivating and selling organic certified, premium cannabis, announced that Jesse McConnell, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Rubicon Organics has provided his notice of resignation as CEO of the company. Mr. McConnell is on parental leave and his resignation is anticipated to become effective on December 31, 2022. The Board of Directors of the Company will immediately begin a search for a successor who can lead the company in driving forward its vision to be “the global brand leader in premium organic cannabis”. Mr. McConnell cofounded Rubicon Organics in June 2015 with Peter Doig with a vision to provide leadership in organic cultivation of premium cannabis. Under his leadership, the company has grown to become the industry leader in superpremium organic cannabis products with a robust portfolio of premium cannabis brands and industry-leading quality and yields.

Aurora Cannabis Acquires Controlling Interest in Bevo Farms

Aurora Cannabis Inc., the Canadian company defining the future of cannabinoids worldwide, announced that a wholly owned subsidiary of the company has acquired a controlling interest in Bevo Agtech Inc., the sole parent of Bevo Farms Ltd., one of the largest suppliers of propagated vegetables and ornamental plants in North America (the “Bevo Transaction“). Concurrent with closing of the Bevo Transaction, Bevo entered into an agreement to acquire the company’s Aurora Sky facility in Edmonton, Alberta through the acquisition of one of Aurora’s wholly owned subsidiaries (the “Aurora Sky Transaction” and together with the Bevo Transaction, the “Transaction“). Founded in 1986, Bevo operates 63 acres of greenhouse in British

Columbia, Canada; is led by a management team with more than 85 years of agricultural experience, and supplies greenhouses, nurseries, field farms and wholesalers. Bevo has consistently demonstrated growth in revenue and earnings over the past decade through process improvements and facility expansions. For the 12 months ended June 30, 2022, Bevo has achieved revenues of $39 million and Adjusted EBITDA of $9 million (excluding non-recurring rental revenue). Bevo’s business exhibits seasonality driven by agricultural grow cycles, with the strongest financial period being from January to June.

SNDL Announces Agreement to Acquire The Valens Company to Create Leading Vertically Integrated Cannabis Platform SNDL Inc. and The Valens Company Inc. announce that they have entered into an arrangement agreement to combine their businesses and create a leading vertically integrated cannabis platform. Pursuant to the terms of the agreement, SNDL will acquire all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Valens, other than those owned by SNDL and its subsidiaries, by way of a statutory plan of arrangement (the “Transaction”). All financial information in this press release is reported in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated. Under the terms of the agreement, Valens’ shareholders will receive, for each Valens share, 0.3334 of a common share of SNDL (the “Offer Exchange Ratio”). Based on the August 19, 2022 close of the SNDL shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market exchange (the “Nasdaq”), the consideration represents an implied value of $1.26 per Valens share (the “Implied Offer Price”), for total consideration of approximately $138 million. With 555,500 square feet of cultivation and manufacturing space and 185 cannabis stores under the Spiritleaf and Value Buds banners, the combined company will offer a complete portfolio of branded

products to consumers in Canada through its own supply and distribution channels. With approximately $314 million in net cash and no debt, SNDL will continue to have one of the strongest balance sheets in the North American regulated cannabis industry. SNDL will also have the highest pro forma Canadian cannabis revenue on a last fiscal quarter annualized basis. The combined company will operate as SNDL Inc., and Valens shareholders will own approximately 9.5% of the pro forma entity.

Pure Sunfarms Extends Partnership with Simon Fraser University to Advance Cannabis Research

Pure Sunfarms is extending its partnership with Simon Fraser University (SFU) to advance cannabis plant health research over the next three years. Since the partnership began in 2018, SFU researchers together with the Pure Sunfarms cultivation team have identified pathogens that affect the cultivation of greenhouse-grown cannabis—findings that have led to the development of cutting- edge biological, cultural, and environmental control strategies in cannabis. As part of the partnership, SFU researchers and students have access to Pure Sunfarms on-site laboratory and 65,000-square-foot state-ofthe-art processing centre to research ways to mitigate threats to cannabis plant health. Teams use a variety of methods to follow the complete life cycle of plants, looking at environmental conditions, strains and production practices to address and promote the quality of post-harvest cannabis.

CANNABIS FOLLOWS GLOBAL BEST PRACTICES IN SAFETY, SECURITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

By Frank Massong

Why is this important to the cannabis industry, not only in Canada but also for the future global trade? ISO (In ternational Organization for Standardization) is recognized as the standards development leader by 167 nations. ISO has generated more than 22,000 standards, which are recognized by governments and industries worldwide to support their objectives and leading to orderly trade supporting clearly defined outcomes and methods. Many ISO standards are embedded in national regulations, used in government procurement, or used by other bodies like the World Trade Organization, which directs its member states to use international standards, such as those developed by ISO, as the basis for domestic and international technical regu lations. The result is the reduction in technical barriers to trade while still respecting the sov ereignty of nations to establish their own level of protection in human, animal and plant health as well as the basis for handling trade disputes.

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) as Canada’s representative on ISO was au thorized to work on a guidance document to the challenges with respect to market require ments for cannabis and fill in any voids. The SCC and the Underwriters Laboratories en gaged more than 20 member countries repre sented by hundreds of global stakeholders to lead them through a series of workshops start ing in November 2020 ending in early 2022. Purity-IQ Inc. (PIQ) was a proud contributor. We have been advised that final publication is im minent. It should also be noted that the PRF IWA-37 is a “guidance” document and not a “standard”. However, it will be a precursor to the development of future ISO technical stan dards or form the basis for the creation of pri vate certification standards.

Of special significance is Part 3: Good production practices (GPP) from propagation, cultivation and manufacturing, which includes cannabis edibles that will consider a sci ence-driven management system approach.

This prioritizes controlling potential hazards by identifying hazards, establishing limits and de signing validated preventive controls to elimi nate or reduce micro-biological, chemical and physical contaminants with feedback mecha nisms to track trends and to better deliver the intended outcomes. These need to be flexible and customized to meet challenges, changing technology or to sustainably seize market op portunities faced by users.

We expect the future of management systems for cannabis to parallel the develop ment of private food safety standards, which not only support regulatory obligations but to fill any gaps that may occur in conventional regulatory systems and enforcement technol ogies. The concept of HACCP, as it became known in the 1970s, became more widely used in the regular food supply as the seven princi ples of HACCP in the late 1980s. Today, these founding principles are now the basis for haz ard analysis and preventive controls in food safety enforcement programs and for measur ing global equivalency (e.g., FSMA). The value of their application and proven success also spawned private food safety standards, which go beyond the minimum requirements set in national regulations. Certification is proof of due diligence as determined by competent and independent certification bodies (CB’s) ac cepted by both seller and buyer.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) consulted with retailers, manufacturers and brand owners from across the world to bench mark private food safety standards to foster global acceptance of GFSI-recognized certifi cation programs as “once certified, accepted everywhere”. This utilized CB’s accredited to ISO 17065 and ISO 17021 issuing certificates of conformity subject to the findings reported by competent third-party auditors.

With the passing of the Canadian Can nabis Regulations and following the trajectory and success of GFSI-recognized private food standards, PIQ anticipated that a similar ap

proach could be applied to certify individual producers, manufacturers and if requested, their products. The Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard (CAPS) was published in Jan uary 2021 as the result of a consultative pro cess with global stakeholders considering best practices supported by the most current sci ence. See https://caps-cert.com/. In our view, CAPS compares well with ISO PRF IWA-37.

CAPS-Basic is a tool that enables produc ers and manufacturers to be certified as meet ing government requirements (e.g., GACP, GMP, CFR 111, CFR 117) and demonstrate due diligence of performance to customer and corporate expectations, as measured by ISO 17065 accredited CB, like GFSI-benchmarked standards. CAPS-Advanced was added using the best genomic and Nuclear Magnetic Res onance (NMR) technology available to register individual canna-bis cultivars and products on a private and secure platform and then certi fied for the consistency and authenticity of outcomes, when compared with the registry’s reference samples. Not only will this lead to more dependable product performance, it can be the basis to effectively establish intellectual property as well as increase transparency and trust between the buyer and seller.

The ISO PRF IWA-37 safety, security and sustainability of cannabis facilities and oper ations guidance document provides a clear message that the cannabis industry is matur ing. The path to success is clearer and tools are available for companies wishing to adopt best practices based on science, like all oth er industrial sectors. Unlike the successes of management system certification in food that took decades, the cannabis industry through rapid adoption can now get there much faster with less cost.

Frank Massong is the Regulatory and Technical Advisor to Purity-IQ Inc., operators of the Cannabis Authenticity and Purity Standard (CAPS).

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10 Ways Canada’s New Consumer Privacy Protection Act Will Impact Privacy Practices

By David Fraser & Sarah Anderson Dykema, CIPP/C

In June 2022, the Canadian government introduced a complete overhaul of the private sector privacy law regime that both protects individuals’ personal information and reg ulates organizations’ privacy practices. The Consumer Privacy Protection Act (CPPA) will replace the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which has regulated the collection, use and disclosure of personal information in the course of commercial activity in Canada since 2001. Here are 10 ways the CPPA will impact organizations’ Canadian privacy practices.

1. New Obligations. PIPEDA is based on the 10 “fair information” principles of the Ca nadian Standards Association Model Code for the Protection of Personal Information (including principles of accountability, consent, limiting collection, use, disclosure and retention, and safeguarding of information). The CPPA incorporates the Code’s 10 prin ciples, but implements significant changes that will impose new obligations on private sector organizations. For example, organizations must now:

» Implement and maintain a privacy management program that “includes the policies, practices and procedures the organization has put in place to fulfill its obligations” under the CPPA that must cover particular policies, practices, and procedures and take into account certain factors, and must provide it to the Privacy Commissioner on request. However, organizations can establish a “code” and internal certification programs for CPPA compliance that, once approved by the Commissioner, effec tively establish their legal compliance obligations.

» Record and document the purposes for which they collect, use or disclose any per sonal information. The CPPA also details what’s required for valid consent.

2. New Penalties. PIPEDA only authorizes penalties for certain breaches of the Digital Privacy Act (data breach response provisions), with a maximum fine of $100,000 per vi olation. The CPPA authorizes administrative monetary penalties and fines of up to $10M or 3% of the organization’s gross global revenue in its prior financial year, whichever is higher, for failure to comply with privacy obligations, including failure to implement and maintain the privacy management program or to document the purpose for which per sonal information is collected, used or disclosed. It also provides for quasi-criminal pros ecutions with even greater financial consequences: up to the higher of $25M and 5% of the organization’s gross global revenue for an indictable offence; and up to the higher of $20M and 4% of the organization’s gross global revenue for a summary offence.

3. More Commissioner Powers. Significantly, the CPPA changes the Privacy Commis sioner’s focus from ombuds with no order-making power to a much more adversarial re gime. Under PIPEDA, the Commissioner has only the power to make recommendations to a breaching organization. Under the CPPA, there are more circumstances where the Commissioner can decline to investigate, more procedural protection if the Commis sioner investigates and refers the matter to an inquiry, and the Commissioner has the power to make orders against organizations and recommend penalties to a new Tribu nal (in addition to continuing to name and shame violators) after an inquiry.

4. Specialized Tribunal. A new “Personal Information and Data Protection Tribunal”, three members of which must have privacy expertise, will determine whether Commis sioner recommendations regarding penalties are appropriate, and levy any such pen

alties, which have the effect of a court order. Organizations accused of violating the CPPA will have the right to appeal to the Tribunal the Commissioner’s findings and orders, but the Tribunal’s review will be to a stricter standard than under PIPEDA.

5. Global Reach. Reflecting the growing digi tization and globalization of the economy, the CPPA expressly applies to all personal informa tion an organization collects, uses or disclos es in the course of commercial activity and to employee information of federally-regulated organizations – and also where personal infor mation is collected, used or disclosed interpro vincially or internationally. But this expansion beyond Canada isn’t without issues: it’s not ex pressly limited to commercial activity, raising an argument the law applies to non-commercial or employee personal information generally (oth erwise beyond the scope of the law) that cross es borders; and organizations with operations in Canadian provinces with provincial privacy legislation substantially similar to PIPEDA (Que bec, B.C. and Alberta) must comply with the provincial privacy laws of provinces in which it operates and with the CPPA when moving data across provinces. Furthermore, the CPPA fails to fill a PIPEDA gap in not expressly extending to personal information imported into Canada under an adequacy finding under the EU’s Gen eral Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

6. New Privacy Violation Legal Claim. Where the Commissioner decides an organization vi olated an individual’s privacy under the CPPA, and the Tribunal upholds that decision, the in dividual can now sue the organization (within two years) for compensation for the violation. And while PIPEDA limits any action to recover compensation for a privacy violation to the Fed eral Court, the CPPA also allows such actions in the superior court of a province. However, the CPPA’s wording makes it unclear whether a vi olator is also exposed to class action liability.

7. Data Portability & Deletion. Individuals can require an organization to transfer their person al information to another organization (subject to regulations not yet available), a likely boon to open banking. However, data portability must be connected to a “data mobility framework”. Individuals can also require an organization to delete their personal information, subject to some limitations, in what appears to be a limit ed “right to erasure”.

8. Algorithmic Transparency. Under the CPPA, individuals have the new right to require an or ganization to explain how an automated deci sion-making system made a prediction, recom mendation or decision about them that could have a significant impact on them.

9. Consent Exceptions. In what will delight some and enrage others, and could impact, for example, the information an organization must communicate in a privacy policy, the CPPA makes some (potentially broad) exceptions to when an organization must obtain an individu al’s consent to the collection, use or disclosure of his/her personal information:

» Collection and use without consent is al lowed for certain business activities where it would reasonably be expected to pro vide the service, or for security purposes, safety or other prescribed activities. But this exception doesn’t apply where the personal information is collected or used to influence the individual’s behaviour or decisions.

» A “legitimate interest” exception to con sent for collection, use and disclosure requires an organization to document any possible adverse effects on the individual, mitigate them and weigh whether the le gitimate interest outweighs any “adverse effects”. However, it’s unclear how “ad verse effects” will be measured.

» Individuals can withdraw consent subject

to similar limitations in PIPEDA. However, an individual can now also require an or ganization to dispose of his/her informa tion, which includes deleting or anonymiz ing it.

10. Anonymizing & De-Identifying Data. The CPPA makes new rules around the de-identi fication of data - including allowing organiza tions to use an individual’s personal informa tion without his/her consent to de-identify his/ her data - but appears to limit other uses of de-identified data. In certain circumstances, or ganizations can also disclose de-identified data to public entities for socially beneficial purpos es. However, the CPPA takes an interesting approach by creating two distinct categories:

» Anonymizing data means “to irreversibly and permanently modify personal infor mation, in accordance with generally ac cepted best practices, to ensure that no individual can be identified from the infor mation, whether directly or indirectly, by any means”. The CPPA doesn’t regulate anonymous data because, by definition, there’s no reasonable prospect of re-iden tification.

» De-identifying data means “to modify per sonal information so that an individual can not be directly identified from it, though a risk of the individual being identified remains”. The CPPA generally prohibits attempts to re-identify de-identified data, though says in some cases, it can, or even must, be used in place of fully identifiable personal information.

David Fraser and Sarah Anderson Dykema are Privacy & Tech Lawyers at McInnes Cooper. This article is information only; it is not legal advice. McInnes Cooper excludes all liability for anything contained in or any use of this article. © McInnes Cooper, 2022. All rights reserved.

WHAT DO EMPLOYEES REALLY WANT?

By Stephanie Pow

Theysay the average person will work 90,000+ hours during their lifetime, equating to approximately one-third of their total time. Ask any of the 150,000+ employees who have worked in the legal Canadian cannabis industry since 2018 and they will likely say that their number is getting closer to half since their careers in cannabis began.

It was clear from the beginning that working in the cannabis industry could never follow the typical 9 to 5, especially working to build an entirely new industry from scratch under the watchful eye of regulatory bodies, and during a global pandemic no less. Plants don’t take vacation, and dedicated cannabis employees have been on the ground, day af ter day, putting in the hours needed to build this industry into what it has become.

Yet as more time passes and cannabis employees continue to gain further expe rience in their roles, we’re starting to get a clearer vision as to what cannabis employees are looking for from their work and the canna bis companies they work for.

CANNABIS EMPLOYEES WANT TO DO WHAT THEY LOVE AND THEY WANT TO WORK FOR COMPANIES THAT SUPPORT THEM AS PEOPLE

Most people can share a not-so-great experi ence from their time working in the cannabis industry. Toxic leadership, unclear vision, lack of company culture, unpaid paychecks, lay offs, and unfulfilled promises, just to name a few. Unfortunately, these are all-too-common stories told at the ground level.

However, it’s a tight-knit industry and (fortunately) as time goes by, a more informed cannabis workforce is emerging across all ar eas of the supply chain. Employers can no longer bury their heads in the sand if they want to attract the best talent for their canna bis companies.

As we head into 2023 and beyond, what do cannabis employees really want from the companies and leadership they work for?

A DEFINED CORPORATE CULTURE

A company’s culture serves as the organiza tion’s compass. It clearly defines a company’s

core values and beliefs: how they convey ideas, how they should act, deal with clients and present themselves at work.

Putting a mission statement and a list of values on the wall just doesn’t cut it anymore. Cannabis employees want to see the values and mission of the company lived out in their day-to-day work environment. They want a leadership team that exemplifies the ethos of the culture and focuses as much on the “in ternal” corporate brand as the brands they’re selling to the end consumer.

TO FEEL VALUED

Employees want to feel recognized with in their teams and acknowledged that their work makes a contribution to the larger com pany as a whole. They’re giving their time, energy and dedication to the work they do. In exchange, they’re looking for a stable pay check, to have a voice at the table, and to feel they have a purpose for the work they do.

TO SEE THE PATH FORWARD

For most, working in cannabis isn’t just a job, it’s a career. When cannabis employees are working for a company, they want to know that there’s room to grow and develop their personal careers. Succession planning across the organization lays out a clear path for all to understand where they’re going and how the individual and team will work to get there.

Having the opportunity to learn new skills, manage people, work cross-collabo ratively across the organization, and be sup ported with personal learning and develop ment, all demonstrate a commitment by the organization to employees’ growth.

TO HAVE POSITIVE AND SUPPORTIVE MANAGEMENT

The best leaders are aware that their peo ple play a key part in achieving success and reaching the company’s defined goals. Em powering employees to do their best work, be their best selves and work together for the greater vision of the company is a hallmark of healthy leadership.

Cannabis employees want to work for honest leaders they can trust. Leaders who

genuinely care for their people and the work they do; providing clear direction, effective communication, and fostering collaborative environments while following a transparent ‘360’ leadership model.

TO REPRESENT INNOVATIVE, HIGH-QUAL ITY, WELL-RESPECTED BRANDS AND PRODUCTS

Cannabis employees are a company’s best marketing tool. They become walking adver tisements for a company’s brand and prod ucts to their friends, family and wider commu nities. They have put their time and energy into creating, preparing, processing, testing, packaging and launching these products to the world.

There’s a strong sense of pride in rep resenting leading products and brands. Em ployees put their trust in the company to en sure quality standards from seed to sale and prioritize bringing innovation to the industry. Company reputation, both within the industry and in the general public, is a key deciding factor for many cannabis employees.

As we look forward to 2023 and beyond, the people of cannabis will remain a critical piece of the larger picture. Creating positive, sustainable and profitable cannabis compa nies starts with its employees on the ground. These past four years post-legalization have focused heavily on the plants and the profits; it’s time to put the focus back on the people that make the cannabis industry possible.

Employees across all areas of cannabis want to see this industry, and the companies they work for, succeed and thrive. Prioritizing employees and providing them with what they truly want will help create a dedicated, sustainable, thriving workforce that will lead the cannabis industry into all it can and will be.

Stephanie Pow is a recruitment consultant and cannabis career coach who supports the global cannabis industry. Find her on LinkedIn to follow along on her “people-first” mission or connect with her at www.withpow.com.

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Canada: An Ever-changing Blueprint for International Cannabis Legislation

By Rick Savone, SVP Global Governments Relations, Aurora Cannabis

Much has changed in Canada’s cannabis industry since 2018. Stores have opened, some have since closed, the industry has pivoted, and most risks have been mitigated. Canadians have grown accustomed to legal cannabis as a part of everyday life. But with constant fluctuations in the regulations and frameworks that gov ern this nascent industry, the country’s once-booming cannabis sector has remained stagnant.

As the industry braces for the pending Cannabis Act Review – the im pacts of which won’t be felt until the mid-2020s – it’s worth revisiting the state of cannabis regulations and asking ourselves what can be learned from Canada’s ascension to global cannabis leader, and what it can do to sustain that position as the slow drip of legalization colours the globe green.

The question of whether the Canadian approach remains a blueprint for international legalization starts with looking at the economic conditions those regulations have played a part in creating. There’s little doubt that since 2018, the industry has been a net positive contributor to the Canadian economy. Deloitte and the Ontario Cannabis Store found that the industry has generated $11 billion in sales, made $29 billion in capital expenditures, and contributed $43.5 billion to the country’s GDP1. Tax revenue has exceed ed $15 billion, and the industry sustains nearly 100,000 jobs for Canadians coast-to-coast. These are positive impacts for real families, often in rural Ca nadian communities with few investment options.

With numbers like this, it’s hard to wonder why any government wouldn’t want to follow the Canadian model step by step. But beyond the raw numbers, the industry’s trajectory tells a different story – one whose latest chapter speaks to the need for governments to be a partner, rather than an oversight body.

A report from EY, commissioned by the Cannabis Council of Canada2, ponders the industry’s long-term viability if the Canadian government contin ues to take a wait-and-see approach to evolving the regulations and frame works that govern it. And the situation with taxes is even more complicated. Since 2019, licensed producers have seen their share of total revenues fall significantly while excise taxes have taken a much bigger chunk from their sales streams. Against the backdrop of stunted retail rollouts, high taxes,

red tape, price compression and a smaller-than-expected total addressable market, the market capitalization of the largest licensed producers in 2019 has more than halved since then.

TAXATION AND RED TAPE UNDERMINING STABLE GROWTH

While producers, like Aurora, are dealing with the fallout from an unstable market, governments have continued to reap the benefits of legalization. While government taxes, fees and charges ballooned, many retailers and producers have struggled. At a time when LPs were repeatedly reporting dramatic losses and write-offs, EY argues that excise duties as a percentage of the final price of goods rose by more than 57%, from 23.9% to 37.6%. There’s no doubt that this tax situation is a drag on the industry and a huge barrier for growth.

Countless cannabis companies have course-corrected to reflect the realities of the sector by closing facilities and laying off thousands from well-paying jobs. Those efforts, though, appear to have been made in vain as governments sit idle on pressing issues, including taxation, while compa nies continue to evolve.

The Canadian approach to cannabis taxation has been heavy-handed. By implementing a regime that looks closer to tobacco than anything else, licensed producers may have needed an infinitely expanding addressable market to drive revenue growth. Instead, they’ve had to make drastic choic es to retain any shot at staying competitive – both with each other, but also with the legacy market.

If not the government, the biggest winner from the cannabis tax re gime is undoubtedly the illicit market. Even after price compression, illicit market prices with 2.2% less for dried flower – and that’s a small difference compared to a 24.3% price difference on vapes, and 90% price difference on edibles. Illicit market producers don’t pay any taxes and don’t respect the government’s compliance frameworks. If one of the primary goals of le galization is to eliminate the illegal market, taxes levied against companies responsible for shifting that market share should measure up with the task. In this sense, the Canadian framework provides an important lesson to wouldbe legal countries: consumers and producers suffer when governments

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Taxation might be the clearest path forward to building a more sustainable and competitive industry in Canada. But there are plenty of other areas that countries might be able to look at when assessing whether Canada’s framework is one worth following.

Licensed producers are still limited in com municating with potential consumers, creating difficulties in building the brand loyalty that’s crit ical to preventing those same consumers from returning to purchasing from the illicit market. Educational and promotional material must be viewed more intensely through a legal rather than business lens. Stringent rules around packaging further restricts efforts around product differenti ation, while potency and possession limits serve only to sustain the illicit market. Where once these strict rules might have made sense – legal canna bis was, after all, new territory and the risks were not well understood – they now limit the indus try’s growth potential and have stalled the needle on movement toward the goals of legalization.

SEPARATING MEDICAL AND RECREATIONAL

Any discussion of what can be learned from Can ada’s legalization rollout is incomplete without examining how it has impacted medical patients who had safe, legal access to cannabis before 2018. For those 300,000 Canadians, legalization of the recreational market has taken centre stage while the real needs of medical cannabis patients have been all but subsumed. Today, medical can nabis patients are the only ones who are forced to pay taxes on their medicine. The Task Force on Marijuana Legalization and Regulation re ported that patients can pay up to $500 a month for their medical cannabis. The Arthritis Society, meanwhile, reports that sales and excise taxes on medical cannabis cost an average arthritis patient nearly $2,000 per year4. These tax revenues pile up for the government but represent a significant

cost for patients who have reclaimed their access rights for medical cannabis.

As the leading Canadian LP in global med ical cannabis revenue, Aurora understands well that medical cannabis patients have distinct needs from recreational consumers. While legal ization claims have put public health and safety at the forefront, it may have done so inadvertently by creating unsustainable cost structures for pa tients.

MOVING THE INDUSTRY FORWARD

With taxes stifling growth opportunities, a refo cused illicit market, and patients feeling left be hind, it’s fair to question whether the Canadian approach to cannabis legalization is the blueprint for other countries.

To its credit, the government’s position seems to have started to turn as groups like the Cannabis Council of Canada continue to play an active role advocating for the industry. The Min istry of Industry, Science, and Economic Devel opment (ISED) recently established the Cannabis Strategy Table that should be positioned to act as a direct liaison between producers, stakehold ers and government. While Health Canada will

continue to stay focused on the original goals of legalization, the ISED initiative enables industry to work with government on the economic chal lenges it faces today. For international onlookers, the group doubles as an example of what gov ernments can do from the start to ensure that nei ther public health nor economic growth come at the expense of one another. Sector resilience in volves more than just removing the choke of pro hibition only to be cuffed with excessive amounts of taxation.

Many hope these are growing pains and not symptoms of longer term issues. But for those won dering if the Canadian example is one to follow, it’s a lesson in urgency. Governments and industry can work together to quickly respond to emerg ing issues without nullifying public health objec tives. With the right frameworks in place, urgent solutions can help sustain a competitive industry that eliminates the illicit market, serves the needs of patients, creates jobs and sustains innovation.

Rick Savone is a SVP Global Governments Rela tions for Aurora Cannabis.

1. An industry makes its mark: The economic and social impact of Canada’s cannabis sector https:// www2.deloitte.com/ca/en/pages/ consumer- business/articles/an-industry-makesits-mark.html. Published 2021.

2. The impact of taxation and regulation on Canada’s cannabis industry. https://assets. ey.com/ content/dam/ey-sites/ey-com/en_ca/ topics/ cannabis-canada/pdf/ey-the-impact-oftaxation- and-regulation-on-canadas-cannabisindustry.pdf

3. Government of Canada. Data on cannabis for medical purposes. Published 2021. https://www. canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugsmedication/cannabis/research-data/medicalpurpose.html

4. Arthritis Society Position Paper on Medical Cannabis.; 2018.

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Canadians have grown accustomed to legal cannabis as a part of everyday life. But with constant fluctuations in the regulations and frameworks that govern this nascent industry, the country’s once-booming cannabis sector has remained stagnant.

Centre for Research and

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGEMENT FOR CANNABIS BRANDS

By Colin Bambury

HOW DO I AVOID GETTING MY SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AND ACCOUNTS DELETED AS A CANNABIS BRAND?

Although it can be incredibly useful, social media is also a massive pain point for many cannabis industry professionals. Facebook/Instagram’s of ficial content policies around “drugs and drug-re lated products” are:

1. Ads must not promote the sale or use of illegal, prescription, or recreational drugs (Ex. drug-related paraphernalia, such as bongs, rolling papers and vaporizer devices)

2. Avoid using images of smoking-related accessories (such as bongs and rolling papers)

Social

media has become the primary mar keting tool for a wide range of brands in a variety of industries. The cannabis in dustry is no exception. Although social media platforms, particularly Meta’s Facebook and Instagram, can be hard to deal with for canna bis brands, the benefits of having a social media presence surely outweigh the potential challeng es. This article will explore the reasons that social media is important for cannabis companies and will seek to outline best practices for management and content creation.

WHY IS SOCIAL MEDIA IMPORTANT FOR CANNABIS BRANDS?

Social Media is an important method for cannabis marketers to communicate to current and future consumers and retail partners. Millennials and Gen Z use social media as search engines. Many will search your brand name up on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok to check out your page and learn more about your company – similar to the way that many would “Google” something.

Having a presence on social media solidifies you as a legitimate brand and allows your consum ers to reach out to you for customer service-re lated questions, complaints, and comments. Past that, social media content creation and communi ty engagement allow brands to foster deep and meaningful connections with consumers in a digi tal environment that they choose to participate in.

WHICH SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SHOULD I USE AS A CANNABIS BRAND?

Depending on your brand values and organiza tional goals, there are several different social me dia platforms that cannabis marketers can utilize.

Instagram

Instagram is still the platform that has arguably the most attention and hype surrounding it. It is pri marily an image-based platform so lifestyle pho tography and well-produced graphics and motion graphics perform well. Instagram is a great cus tomer service platform and allows you to engage with new potential customers via hashtags and discovery tools.

Facebook

Facebook’s popularity has decreased slightly in recent years but brand pages are still a relevant way to connect with your consumers. Facebook has a large demographic of users in their 30s and 40s, making the average age slightly older than other platforms. An older demographic could

mean a more educated audience with more in come (but potentially less disposable income). Create a Facebook brand page that your consum ers can “like” to stay up-to-date with your brand’s latest announcements and content.

Twitter

Twitter is surprisingly a very cannabis-friendly plat form. Twitter is also an excellent customer service tool, as many happy and disgruntled customers will share their thoughts on the platform. Respond ing to feedback is a great way to show your brand cares and is engaged with the community. Twitter also allows brands to start and engage in relevant conversations around the products they sell and the services they offer, allowing companies to es tablish thought leadership through the platform.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is known as more of a B2B, business-fo cused platform. In recent years, it has moved past just job seekers and job updates to a robust con tent platform with video, text, image, and blog con tent. LinkedIn is a great way to reach individuals within the industry (retail partners, budtenders, cul tivation partners, etc) and to target higher-wealth, older cannabis consumers.

Snapchat

Although aimed at a younger audience and al though the platform’s popularity has waned in re cent years, Snapchat allows for cannabis content and even paid advertising. Cannabis companies can target 19+ individuals on the platform and feed them advertisements between their friend’s posts. Snapchat also prioritizes short video content.

TikTok

TikTok is quickly replacing Instagram as the “it” and “cool” platform, especially among the young er generation. TikTok has aged up over the years, now having the vast majority of its user base over the legal age of cannabis consumption in Cana da. TikTok is a unique and hard platform to create content for – prioritizing short, flashy, fun, and in teresting video content (usually with a musical or theatrical soundtrack in the background).

Reddit

We suggest monitoring relevant Reddit forums such as /TheOCS and other cannabis reviewing pages. Posting on Reddit requires authenticity. Only post on Reddit if you are posting transparent information about growing methods, lineage, etc, or if you are operating through a personal account.

3. Avoid using images that imply the use of a recreational drug

4. Avoid using images of either recreational or medical marijuana

These rules aren’t necessarily encouraging for marketers looking to increase sales of their can nabis products. However, there are some creative workarounds and compliant content that can still be published to help brands connect with con sumers.

For Instagram and Facebook, the most im portant rule to remember is that you can never make it seem like you are selling a product or promoting a sale. Terms like “now available,” “for sale,” “discount,” and “for purchase” will get your account flagged, regardless of if you’re posting cannabis-related content. The reasoning for this is that Instagram doesn’t want its platform being used for the promotion of sales unless it is get ting a cut. It wants users to utilize their in-app shopping feature for all purchases and is quick to remove posts that imply that the purchase of something is available somewhere else.

On Instagram and Facebook, do not use bla tant language to refer to the plant or its product formats. Do not use the words “cannabis,” “THC,” “CBD,” “marijuana,” “hemp,” “cannabinoids,” “con centrates,” “blunts,” etc. These words are flagged by the platform and will instantly remove your posts. This will also result in your account receiv ing a warning that it may be deleted or temporar ily disabled in the future.

Do not feature images of cannabis plants or concentrates if possible. Do not feature images of your government-mandated packaging as many believe that the THC “stop sign” symbol is auto matically flagged by Instagram’s AI.

So what should you do? Create lifestyle content using clothing and accessories. If you are going to show products or packaging, show beauty packaging that does not feature the government-mandated THC symbol. Show product (bud) sparingly and try not to have it as the main focus of the picture. Use creative static and dynamic motion graphics to adver tise new SKUs. Post educational-focused con tent, not sales-focused. Create interviews and content around people (to the degree that is allowed within the Health Canada regulations), not just products. Build stories through imagery, graphics, and photography. Images of individ uals smoking and holding pre-rolled cannabis seem to avoid being flagged for the most part.

Colin Bambury is the Editor for ADCANN.

4

Auxly Cannabis Group Inc. introduced a new extension to its Foray brand: Edi’s. While keeping true to Foray’s pedigree of approachability and accessibility, Edi’s is bringing the fun back into snacking with a bold and honest attitude that will speak to consumers looking to enjoy an edible snack while controlling their cannabis experience. Launching this new brand extension into the market is Edi’s Gumdrops, a delightfully chewy, premium gummy that is bursting with familiar flavours of lemon, lime, cherry and orange. With 20 snackable pieces per pack, these low-dosed edibles offer 0.5mg of THC per bite - the first of its kind in Canada - allows consumers to enjoy the snacks they love without concern of overindulging in potent THC cannabis products. Other flavours include two additional familiar Foray consumer favourites, CBD Blood Orange and CBN Blackberry Lavender.

The Original Fraser Valley Weed Co.’s initial offering includes ounce packs of popular, potent, BC-grown dried flower strains: D. Burger and MAC 1. D. Burger (Potency: 21-27% THC): Like a backyard BBQ with some extra gas for good measure. D. Burger is deliciously savoury, pungent and gassy — think grilled cheese and dark garlic in a bulk bag. This high-THC indica is a cross of GMO Cookies and Han Solo Burger. An ounce of dense green buds and tufts of orange hairs, our D. Burger’s unmistakable bud is greenhouse grown in BC’s best growing region, the Fraser Valley. MAC 1 (Potency: 18-24% THC): This smooth hybrid is a cross between iconic strains, Alien Cookies F2 and Miracle 15. Bulk ounce bags with round buds covered in frosty trichomes and sugar leaves, MAC 1 is an upbeat and balanced flower with citrussy, earthy, and lightly gassy notes. Each ounce bag is filled with quality bud, greenhouse grown in BC’s best growing region, the Fraser Valley.

Zyre Full-Spectrum Cured Resin Vapes

B.C. consumers can choose from two vibes, each in one-gram cartridges containing 78-85% THC and minor cannabinoids that can include CBG, CBN, THCA, and THCV. At launch, the two vibes from their 1.0 series will include:

LAUNCH 1.0 - Pineapple Punch:

Take your adventure to new highs and launch into your favourite activity. This product complements upbeat vibes and social occasions.

RECLINE 1.0 - Blueberry Pie:

Kick back at the end of a busy day with a freshly baked blueberry pie flavoured cartridge. This product is a perfect match with a low-key, dreamy, and chill summer evening.

SPOTLIGHT 1.0 - Wild Strawberry:

Cut through the fog and shine a light on what’s truly important with this wild strawberry-flavoured cartridge, perfectly paired with a focused or creative vibe.

THC KISS Mango Shot

THC Kiss Mango Shot is a full-spectrum 30ml juice-based cannabis beverage with 10mg of THC. It has a refreshingly sweet mango flavour like summertime in a bottle, available all year long! This innovative pocket-size drink is an enjoyable alternative to smoking cannabis with a fast-acting onset time of as low as 10 minutes. It is gluten-free and made without inessential water and sugar in a nut-free facility. It ranks among Ontario’s best-selling beverages because it contains just as much THC as higher-priced edibles and has no bitter or chemical-like aftertaste! Please visit https://www. thckiss.buzz/ for more information.

Edi’s Gumdrops by Foray The Original Fraser Valley Weed Co.

Focus and Execution Drives Results in Cannabis Shopper Marketing

By Natalie Bolivar

Across

the Canadian cannabis in dustry, both licensed producers and retailers are facing challenges as the market becomes increas ingly competitive and companies vie com pete for consumer market share. These challenges are made even more difficult through disruptions in supply chain and lim ited regulations around the relationships be tween retailers and licensed producers.

Both producers, distributors and retail ers are in this together and while companies are competing for market share, individual and collective success of the industry ulti mately will lie in a few key principles. Those principles are right products for core cus tomers, priced correctly and supported by strong shopper marketing. In supporting the supply chain from producer to the end customer, building relationships across the industry helps gain the trust and loyalty of consumers.

The Green House represents notable licensed producers in the industry and we have brought our clients practices in trade and shopper marketing that we have refined in other regulated industries to help provide the greatest chance of success. Here are the principles and practices that we have found to be successful and that those across the industry can benefit from.

First, there has been much talk in the in dustry of product innovation; some products have worked, and some have not. The first starting point for retailers and producers is a strong understanding of the customer (who is shopping) and consumer (other new market opportunities). The market is made up of both core customers and oc casional shoppers. Producers and retailers must understand who their core customer is – the customer that makes up the most dollar sales, and those that can drive incre mental opportunities in the industry. The attitudes, beliefs and behaviours that core customers desire in their shopping experi

ence is central to success in the retail en vironment. It is important to remember that the products that are offered and how they are priced are central to the shopping ex perience.

Second, we look to marketing funda mentals. The “Three Ps” of Product, Price and Promotion is where the journey starts. Offering the right product to the consumer at the right price and having that product presented in a manner that connects with the consumer is integral to success. The right price, however, does not mean the cheapest price; it means being priced cor rectly to meet the needs of a particular cus tomer group. With the high degree of price compression happening within the industry, many have chosen blanket low pricing to drive consumer traffic, however, an optimal pricing strategy should look at a more tai lored approach by category or region. The Green House has worked building relation

ships with our licensed producer clients and retail partners to guide the right price that a product should be offered at.

Promotion is a key component to driv ing interest, desire and action on purchas ing cannabis products. Given the restrictive marketing regulations, the retail environ ment is one of the only places to access the cannabis consumer and building effec tive in-store programs that engage both budtenders and customers is critical in ac tivating the relationship between retailers and their LP partner.

Third, similar to other consumer pack aged goods industries, is the importance of trade and shopper marketing, both of which are critical to the shared success of retailers and licensed producers. Much of the industry focuses on the budtender, however, this is only half of the equation. Within the cannabis industry, the definition of trade and shopper has been blurred. Trade is the activity of a producer actively marketing to the sales associate or bud tender, while shopper marketing is the extension of that marketing activity by the producer to the end consumer. The blur ring in the industry must be made clear as both trade and shopper are important components to how the product shows up to the consumer. From there, retailers can drive velocity and volume, built upon strong fundamentals of understanding of the customer.

We are still in the early innings in the Canadian cannabis industry, and at the pace of rapid growth, many fundamentals have either been skipped or not executed with the rigor that exists in other regulated, consumer goods industries. This is a long game, and The Green House will contin ue to work with our clients to build longterm sustainable value across the industry.

Natalie Bolivar is the founder of The Green House.

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Producers and retailers must understand who their core customer is – the customer that makes up the most dollar sales, and those that can drive incremental opportunities in the industry.

OFFERING A PERSONALIZED LEVEL OF CARE

Ayurcann Inc. Igal Sudman, CEO

Products Available Throughout Canada. Ayurcann.com | @ayurcann

Email: igal@ayurcann.com

Phone: 416-720-6264

Website: Ayurcann.com

1080 Brock Road

Pickering ON L1W 3H3

Industry: Extraction/Processing, Formulations, Packaging/Labeling

“Ayurcann is a leading post-harvest solutions provider with a focus on providing and creating custom processes and pharma grade products for the adult use and medical cannabis industry in Canada. Ayurcann offers end-to-end full outsourcing solutions including Extraction & Refinement, Formulation & Packaging, Fulfillment & Distribution. We have the experience, expertise and network to assist our partners in Canada and internationally.”

BrokerLink Insurance Company Division: BrokerLink Insurance Lars Rittmann, Account Executive

Email: lrittmann@brokerlink.ca Phone: 800-265-2625 Website: BrokerLink.ca 818 Victoria Street North Kitchener ON N2B 3C1 Industry: Insurance

Cannabis Council of Canada George Smitherman, President & CEO

Email: george@cannabis-council.ca Website: cannabis-council.ca 111 Albert St PO Box 81071 Ottawa ON K1P 1B1 Industry: Association

“The Cannabis Council of Canada is the national organization of cannabis licensees on record with Health Canada advocating on behalf of the licensed cannabis industry. C3’s mission is to act as a national voice for our members in the promotion of industry standards; support the development, growth and integrity of the regulated cannabis industry; and to serve as an important resource on issues related to the safe and responsible use of cannabis for medical and non-medical purposes.”

EnCann Solutions Inc.

Ryan Bernath, COO

Email: customerjourney@encann.ca Phone: 250-999-0240 Website: www.encann.ca 375 Potterton Road Kelowna BC V4V 2K8

Industry: Extraction/Processing “EnCann Solutions is a cannabinoid extraction and manufacturing company with a strong focus on efficiency, integrity and quality. Our primary business model is high-volume cannabinoid extraction that can scale to meet the requirements of the smallest craft growers to the largest international producers. We pride ourselves on providing affordable, highquality active ingredients; helping to shape the Canadian cannabis industry. We currently carry large wholesale batches of CBD and CBN, with 98%+ purity. To get in touch, message info@ encann.ca.”

Fanshawe College Centre for Research & Innovation

Andrew Kaszowski, Industry Outreach & Communication Coordinator

Email: a_kaszowski@fanshawec.ca

Phone: 519-452-4430 ext. 14586 Website: www.fanshawec.ca/research 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd London ON N5Y 5R6

“Fanshawe College’s Centre for Research and Innovation (CRI) unlocks innovation that drives the Canadian economy forward by solving industry R&D needs through leading expertise, resources, partners and funding. Our cannabis research license supports this laboratory expertise with unique abilities to support the the cannabis processing industry. We are helping cannabis companies with isolation and purification of specific compounds and provide an intersection between the cannabis and food and beverage industries. To learn more about our cannabis research work and how we can support your R&D needs, visit: www. fanshawec.ca/ research”

Flow Scientific

Stephanie Ostrander, International Sales Director

Email: stephanieo@flowsci.com

Phone: 780-224-2095

Website: https://www.flowscientific.ca #8, 9670 188 Street

Surrey BC V4N 3M2

Industry: Formulations, Supplier/ Distributor/ Wholesaler

“Flow Scientific is a GMP licensed manufacturer of scents and flavours using natural plant terpenes. Trust in our knowledge and experience. You will discover the best quality terpene blends available on the market. Flow Sci turnaround is 5 business days or less and we ship globally. Ask us about sample packs and expect to be amazed by our customer service! Part of the Kinloch Wellness family of companies. View our catalog: www.flowscientific.ca/products.”

2022 SERVICE DIRECTORY

Highdeal Solutions

Donny Rejano, Head of Sales

Email: donny@highdeal.ca

Phone: 604-457-3325 Website: https://highdeal.ca 119-19055 Airport Way

Pitt Meadows BC V3Y 0G4

Industry: Packaging/Labeling

“Highdeal Solutions is a single source solutions for cannabis producers, processors, and extractors. We are your one-stop-shop for cannabis packaging, full-service design, compliance services, and secure logistics. We have nurtured partnerships with some of the biggest names in the industry to provide competitive rates on standard CR packaging, as well as unique customization options to suit your needs. Our design team are experts in compliant packaging, helping brands achieve labelling compliance, and assisting with all aspects of your brand and marketing journey. We’re here with you every step of the way. At Highdeal Solutions, we’ve got you covered.”

High North Laboratories

Rick Moriarity, CIO/COO

Email: rick@highnorth.com

Phone: 416-629-2667

Website: https://www.highnorth.com

241 Hanlan Rd. Unit 7 Vaughan, ON L4L 3R7 416-629-2667

Industry: Lab Testing, Chemical Analysis

“High North Laboratories is a specialized Cannabis company, setting the standard for Cannabis testing in Canada. Our 16,000 square foot GMP licensed & ISO compliant facility has the ability to produce reliable results for the largest and smallest Cannabis producers. We were founded by a team that entered the cannabis industry in the late 90’s. We understand the struggles in breeding, cultivating, extraction and selling cannabis and we are here to help. High North Laboratories has now been recognized by the Canadian cannabis industry as the #1 Lab Testing Facility in Canada for two-years running 2021 & 2022

Company Division: Cannabis Business Conference & Trade Show

Lisa Beckerman, Exhibitor Experience

Consultant

Email: lisa.beckerman@wearemci.com

Phone: 410-746-2700 Website: https://liftexpo.ca

1055 Canada Pl Vancouver BC V6C 0C3

Industry: Education/Training, Expo “Lift&Co. Expo Vancouver, British Columbia

January 12-14, 2023 Vancouver Convention Centre Lift&Co. Expo is the original largescale cannabis trade show in Canada, serving the cannabis community as both a meeting place and a destination for discovery. Each

MJBizCon

Melanie Flavin, Show Marketing Director

Email: CustomerService@MJBiz.com

Phone: (720)-213-5992 x1 Website: www.MJBizCon.com 3900 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Suite 100 Denver CO 80235

Industry: Education/Training

“MJBizCon is an award-winning trade show from MJBizDaily. Now in its 11th year, MJBizCon is the #1 global cannabis business conference and tradeshow connecting over 35,000 cannabis industry executives, entrepreneurs and major investors. Event is scheduled for November 15-18 in Las Vegas. To attend or exhibit, visit: https:// bit.ly/3d0jwMi At MJBizCon: - Connect with 1,400+ exhibitors who will fuel your growthWalk the 320,000+ square feet expo - Hear insights from 180+ speakers - Focused content in 6 pre-show forums - Countless networking opportunities.”

Job Title: Vice President, Client Services

Email: tosha@vividata.ca

Phone: 416 475-7590 Website: www.vividata.ca

77 Bloor Street West, Suite 1101

Toronto ON M5S 1M2

Industry: Media, Other

“VIVINTEL, the bespoke research arm of VIVIDATA, is Canada’s authoritative source for insights on unique consumer behaviour. With three comprehensive cannabis research studies and multiple in-depth reports, you can delve deep into the market for cannabis in Canada and help kickstart product and marketing strategies to push your cannabis brand top-of-mind. VIVINTEL’s cannabis consumer studies and reports feature insights on current and potential Canadian cannabis consumers, recreational and medical cannabis use, purchasing behaviours, preferred forms, top cannabis brands, consumer media habits and much more. For further details, get in touch: info@vividata.ca”

Matt Webb, Partner

Email: matt@webbcreative.ca

Phone: 604-910-7160 Website: webbcreative.ca

15B Commercial

Nanaimo BC V9T 1K5

Industry: Compliance, Creative Agency, Packaging/Labeling

“Full service design solutions for Canadian cannabis labelling. We’ve been creating Health Canada Compliant cannabis labelling for some of Canada’s most recognized brands since 2017. From bags to beverages, commercial to in-house printing we’ve probably done it. Combining an expert knowledge of traditional and contemporary printing techniques with an in-depth knowledge of the Canadian Cannabis Regulations, we offer a level of expertise that few other studios can match.”

DENIOS Spill Containment Pallets

DENIOS has redesigned its complete assortment of Spill Containment Pallets to feature a new, compact, space-saving design. Available in painted steel, or galvanized steel, they catch spills, drips and leaks to keep work areas neat, clean and safe. The sumps have the capacity to meet EPA, OSHA, NFPC, UFC and other regulations, and are 100% tested and guaranteed to be leak-free. Solidly welded from high-quality steel for durability and security, they include an easily removable hot-dip galvanized plank (also available in stainless steel). Square or inline designs are available to hold between one and eight drums or one to three IBC. Each includes feet for easy forklift accessibility and transportation; a single or two-drum version is also available as a Spill Cart. Manufactured in the USA, with industry-leading lead times, DENIOS Spill Containment Pallets and Carts are ideal for the storage of water-polluting, flammable substances, such as oils and lacquers.

JuanaRoll Automated Pre-roll Machine

Canapa has announced that its market-leading JuanaRoll Automated Pre-roll Machine is now available in eight different configurations to fill most every production rate need. The JuanaRoll is the industry’s most flexible pre-roll machine with a straight-line design that allows users to expand production as needed. Customers can now start with a one-channel model and produce up to 4,000 pre-rolls in an eight-hour shift and then expand up to an eight-channel model or anything in between to produce up to 32,000 pre-rolls per eight-hour shift. Featuring the most edge weight cell technology with 2/1000g resolution, an integrated PreCheQ check weigher and stations for compacting, tamping, twisting, trimming and crowning, this high-performance machine also includes no cone-no fill detection, a cone open camera vision system, and two digital cameras with free online support and training.

Cannabis Trolley Dry Room Hanging System

SRS Conveyors’ Cannabis Trolley Dry Room Hanging System provides an effective material handling solution for storing and transporting cannabis plants during the harvesting, drying, and trimming processes of cannabis production. The system creates an efficient flow of cannabis plants while maximizing the use of available vertical space in your facility. Plants are hung on multi-tiered rolling trolleys, which can link together to form a train. This enables you to carry and transport 1000’s of cannabis plants at once. The trolleys can be left directly inside a humidity-controlled drying room, eliminating the lengthy step of hanging and collecting plants between each production phase. Benefits include GMP Certifiable, removable hanging racks, easy-to-load-and-retrieve hanging tiers, easy to mean, and more. Each Cannabis Trolley Dry Room Hanging System is a customized solution engineered to meet your needs. We can design the system to fit your building, volume, and budget.

Canapa’s WeightCheQ 0-250

Canapa has announced an addition to its industry-leading series of check weighing machines, the WeightCheQ 0-250. Engineered with electromagnetic force restoration (EMFR) technology to achieve incredibly tight 0.01-gram tolerances, this high-precision machine ensures a more accurate, consistent pre-roll is delivered for final retail packaging. The WeightCheQ can be easily paired with any semiautomated pre-roll machine or manual rolling process to double-check pre-roll weights, eliminating product waste while increasing margins. This technology is also perfectly suited to precisely weigh gummies, capsules and other cannabis products with seamless integration into existing bagging, container filling, flow wrapping and case filling systems. In addition to innovative EMFR weigh cell technology, this machine features a robust stainlesssteel frame construction, food grade belts, integrated rejection lighting system, 15-inch color touchscreen with display to three decimal points, storage for up to 20 different recipes and does not require compressed air to operate. To watch video of the WeightCheQ 0-250 and learn more about other preroll solutions from Canapa, visit www. canapasolutions.ca/check-weigher.