FrontierC3 Quarterly Newsletter December 2020
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It is my pleasure to introduce our first edition of Frontier, the official Quarterly Newsletter of the Cannabis Council of Canada (C3). Our launch comes on the heels of a landmark ruling with dynamic global implications for our sector. On the same remarkable day that the United Nations declassified cannabis, the EU Commission delisted CBD as a narcotic. Within days, the House of Representatives passed a historic cannabis decriminalization bill with an impressive expungement mechanism for simple possession.
Collectively, these steps reflect a major trend towards de-stigmatization of cannabis and a bold recognition of the full benefits of the plant. I believe that Canadians should take great pride in knowing that our leadership in the legalization of cannabis has contributed to this global progress and was propelled by the labours of patients and allies that responded to the call for medicine over decades. As we close out 2020, the cannabis sector should be applauded for the resilience shown against the extraordinary challenges of operating and opening new businesses in the era of CoVID – 19. The tenacity of entrepreneurs making progress in spite of all the headwinds can be seen in the monthly growth in sales, essential services declarations for our patients and recreational consumers as well as weekly licensing updates from Health Canada. It’s an honour to represent a sector with so much strength and growth potential.
We invite the cannabis community to join with us as we launch our Cannabis Sustainability Caucus as well as a Pan- Canadian Cannabis Task Force on Distributor Coordination for LP’s to address emerging challenges associated with “packaged on” dating restrictions.
Please feel free to email me at george@cannabis-council.ca to discuss any matter.
Best of the Season, George Smitherman
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On September 17th, 2020, the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Cannabis Council of Canada (‘C3’) was virtually convened, culminating in a renewed Board of Directors and bylaws for the organization.
Rick Savone, Senior Vice President of Global Government Relations at Aurora, was re-elected as Chair of the Board for his continued leadership and plans to renew and strengthen advocacy efforts ahead of the statutory review of the Cannabis Act (Bill C-45) in 2021.
C3 is thrilled to introduce the following thought leaders from Canada’s cannabis producers who constitute our Board:
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Pushing Regulatory Flexibility in the CoVID-19 Era
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Helping companies to achieve important commercial objectives is the driving motivation of C3.
Since the earliest days of the pandemic the organization has aligned with others in the sector to lobby for regulatory relief and flexibility.
Here are some of the policy outcomes where our Member voices were heard and felt.
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Health Canada - C3 Bilateral Meetings
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Throughout the year, C3 meets with Health Canada in a bilateral process that allows our member-companies to prioritize the meeting agenda.
C3 has advanced priorities in need of Order in Council regulatory change and policy change that can be undertaken within HC, thus deferring the items that require legislative action for the forthcoming statutory review of Bill C-45. This member-driven process is the beating heart of C3.
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The Cannabis Council of Canada (C3) is the Health-Canada recognized voice for producers licensed under the Cannabis Act (Bill C-45).
Participation in the association is offered in two distinct streams. Members must hold a license for cultivation from Health Canada issued under the Cannabis Act. Other Health Canada licensees, ancillary businesses and supporting organizations may become Affiliate Members of the Association.The expansion of the C3 network continues to be an ongoing priority for our leadership team, as we look to create unity and synergy within the Canadian cannabis sector for our members.
In collaboration with Delphic Research, a research firm based in Toronto, we have designed an engagement plan to actively recruit new members and affiliates and ensure that our current members receive the full value of their membership.
If you are not yet a member, we encourage you to reach out to learn more about the opportunities C3 membership could provide you in the cannabis sector!
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C3 Spearheads Pan-Canadian Cannabis Task Force on Distributor Coordination
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Proposed moves by cannabis distributors to add “packaged-on” dating restrictions to cannabis 2.0 products and return products which fall outside of the restrictions threaten the financial and operational performance of licensed producers.
Should these moves come into effect, licensed producers will have to manage unique and inconsistent product “expiry dates” for each product category across at least 10 jurisdictions and face further risk of product returns.
Canada’s licensed producers are creating the “Pan-Canadian Task force on Distributor Coordination” to lead an industry-wide response to uncoordinated decision-making by cannabis distributors.
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Committed to Cannabis Amnesty |
The Cannabis Council of Canada recognizes that while the Cannabis Act (Bill C-45) is a landmark piece of legislation and has brought unprecedented economic, political, and social implications, it reaffirms its commitment to social justice.
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C3'S SUSTAINABILITY STEPS
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Sustainability: Vape Recycling Pilot
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C3 and leading licensed producers recently initiated a vape recycling pilot project that has distributed recycling boxes to more than 200 retailers spread across several Canadian provinces.
The objective of the program is waste diversion, and the pilot will accept vape pens, used batteries and cartridges from all licensed producers that will achieve a higher rate of recycling by sorting, separating and processing the various components into base commodities that can be reused.
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Sustainability Caucus & Webinar |
With the launch of the Vape Recycling Pilot, C3 looks to build on this initiative by announcing the launch of the Sustainability Caucus. The caucus will be led by three Chairs representing three unique C3 member-companies. Participation, however, is open to all as we collectively encourage collaborative solutions towards a sustainable sector.
Sound interesting?
Our first webinar on January 14th, 2021, hosted by Grow Opportunity, will revolve around sustainability, in partnership with the Vape Recycling Pilot and our Caucus.
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The CoVID-19 Crisis highlighted the role of government in lending support to critical sectors like Agrifood.
Gaining enhanced recognition of the cannabis sector from organizations like Farm Credit Canada (FCC) was an important step in the maturity of the cannabis sector. It's important for LPs to register with government agencies as farm businesses to make sure our industry's agricultural impact is fairly recognized in Canada.
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The Cannabis Council of Canada (C3) caught up with Omar, the association’s freshly-minted intern.
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TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY (OCT 17, 2020) OF CANNABIS LEGALIZATION
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In celebration of the second anniversary of the legalization of adult-use cannabis in Canada, the Cannabis Council of Canada (“C3”) is releasing the “Cannabis Legalization Report Card”. The report card grades Canada’s performance on a diverse range of subjects from “Government Leadership” to “Jobs and Economy” to “Medical Patient Access”.
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C3 has partnered with Pax Labs Inc, to bring you an opportunity to win one of ten PAX ERA Vapes ($45 value)
FOR A CHANCE TO WIN AND TO STAY ENGAGED ON KEY DEVELOPMENTS ALL ACROSS THE CANNABIS FRONTIER, FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @cannabis_canada (All winners will be age-verified before prizes are sent out)
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Science Advisory Committee on Health Products Containing Cannabis
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As you may be aware, Health Canada has been working to establish a new Science Advisory Committee on Health Products Containing Cannabis. This Committee will provide independent scientific and clinical advice to support the Department’s consideration of appropriate safety, efficacy, and quality standards for health products containing cannabis, including the conditions under which these products would be suitable to be used without practitioner oversight (e.g., dose and indication).
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We hope you have enjoyed our presentation of the first edition of Frontier. The Cannabis Council of Canada looks forward to championing progress in the upcoming statutory review of the Cannabis Act (Bill C-45) in Oct 2021, and invites licensed producers and affiliate members of all sizes and areas to join our association to forge a comprehensive and unified voice to achieve a more equitable industry for all.
We are beyond thrilled to present the following affiliate members:
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Inquiries Welcome: hello@cannabis-council.ca
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111 Albert Street, P.O Box: 81071 Ottawa ON K1P 1B1 Canada
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