About an hour and a half west of Toronto in Brant County, a 100-acre organic farm is getting ready to receive its first batch of cannabis seeds. Surrounded by 5,800 meters of perimeter fencing and several state-of-the-art security cameras, The Good Farm is expected to produce about 40,000 kilograms of dried cannabis once cultivation gets underway.

Fueled by an increase in high-tech “vertical farming” and cannabis cultivation centres, lighting for indoor agriculture is one of the fastest growing load categories for many electric utilities in Canada and the U.S.

I had the privilege of making a presentation at the Cannabis Tech Conference in January in Abbotsford, B.C., on the topic of cannabis quality and nutrient management. I had a chance to meet a large number of growers, scientists and specialists.

It’s been over a dozen years now since Nathan Woodworth started growing legal cannabis for himself as a way to deal with chronic migraines.

Edmonton, Alta.-based cannabis company Freedom Cannabis Inc. has received its licence to cultivate for Phase 1 of its indoor grow facility located near west Edmonton in Acheson, Alta. 

Aeroponic cannabis grower James E. Wagner Cultivation Corporation has begun cultivation activities at its second facility located in Kitchener, Ont. (JWC 2).

Confused about sustainable packaging? You are not alone. There are many options in the market and, quite frankly, designing for the environment is not straightforward.

CannTrust’s cultivation and processing permit under Health Canada Cannabis Regulations was amended to include the final 20 per cent of its Phase 2 expansion.

Vaughan, Ont.-based licensed producer CannTrust has closed the first of its previously announced transactions to acquire 200 acres of outdoor cultivation land.

Vaughan, Ont.-based licensed producer CannTrust has announced plans for outdoor cannabis cultivation to add an additional annual production capacity of between 100,000 and 200,000 kilograms by 2020.

One of the most exciting changes that came with the introduction of the Cannabis Act was the opportunity for licence holders to cultivate cannabis outdoors. For years, knowledgeable growers have argued that outdoor cultivation is a viable way to produce high quality cannabis and it seems that regulators are finally onside.

The Supreme Cannabis Company Inc. has signed a deal to acquire Blissco Cannabis Corp. in an all-stock deal it valued at $48 million.

Vancouver, B.C. – Invictus MD has appointment Trevor Dixon as director and chief operating officer of the company effective immediately.

Vaughan, Ont.-based licensed cannabis producer CannTrust has finalized a Letter of Intent (LOI) with Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) to provide Quebec with high quality cannabis for the recreational market. 

LAVAL, Que. - Neptune Wellness Solutions is acquiring North Carolina-based commercial hemp company SugarLeaf Labs, LLC.

Kelowna, B.C.-based cannabis products provider Valens GroWorks has received organic certification for cannabis oil production from Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd. for its proprietary CO2 and ethanol extraction processing methods in accordance with the Canadian Organic Standards.

Independent price reporting agency New Leaf Data Services, LLC (NLDS), and the Cannabis Mercantile Exchange (Cannamerx) announced the signing of their data-sharing agreement to bring real-time transaction data to cannabis and hemp businesses.

SASKATOON, Sask. - Cannabis genetics and plant propagation company Kanata Earth Genetics Inc. and the Saskatchewan Research Council (SRC) are collaborating to provide cannabis testing services to Canadian licensed producers.

Organigram recently announced its Q2 results which include a record net revenue of $26.9 million.

SMITHS FALLS, Ont. - Canopy Growth Corp. has signed a deal to buy a German company that specializes in cannabinoid-based medical therapies used by European physicians for roughly $342.9 million.

Pharmaceutical company FSD Pharma announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Cobourg, Ont.-based licenced cannabis producer FV Pharma Inc. has received its Sale for Medical Purposes license to sell cannabis under the Cannabis Act. The license went into effect on April 18, 2019.

Mississauga, Ont.-based organic cannabis company The Green Organic Dutchman (TGOD) has received its oil sales licence from Health Canada pursuant to the Cannabis Act for its Hamilton, Ont., facility.

Smiths Falls, Ont.-based cannabis company Canopy Growth Corporation announced it is planning to acquire New York City-based cannabis company Acreage Holdings, Inc. in a US$3.4 billion deal.

When Grow Opportunity was launched in the fall of 2017, it was with the intention to serve as a resource for Canadian licensed producers.

Corporate social responsibility and global sustainability have been an increasing trend across all industries all over the world – manufacturing, agriculture, energy production, and many others. Consumers are getting more sophisticated and interested in knowing the ‘story’ behind the products they consume. Companies that are responding to this trend stand to gain – both from a fiscal and moral perspective.

Canada’s recent legalization of marijuana creates a conflict with a U.S. federal law that prohibits the export, import, sale or transportation of items deemed to be drug paraphernalia.

The Canadian Marijuana Index (CMI) tracks the leading cannabis stocks operating in Canada. Stock prices have gone up from $230.41 to $516.07 in a year (July 25, 2017 - July 25, 2018). The peak price climbed up to $1,045.40 on Jan. 9, 2018. With marijuana for recreational purpose now being legal, many investors, entrepreneurs and greenhouse growers see a number of business opportunities.  

As the cannabis industry continues to grow, more and more companies are relying on consultants to support and enhance their businesses. Cannabis is heavily regulated and navigating those requirements without reliable insight can be a real challenge.  

It’s official. Canada’s legal adult recreational cannabis marketplace is open for business. Opening day was marked with symbolic celebrations across the country as people lined up to buy their first legal recreational cannabis.

If you're reading this post, chances are you work in the cannabis industry or have a stake in it. Recently, United States authorities issued a reminder to visitors that marijuana is still a federally illegal substance and anyone working or investing in the cannabis industry could be refused entry to the U.S.

On Oct. 17th cannabis retail stores across Canada will open their doors for the first time to Canadian adults. The past few months have seen licensed producers pushing to exponentially increase their growing capacity to meet anticipated demand in both the recreational and medical cannabis markets.

A new report from the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce predicted that sales of legal cannabis will hit $6.5 billion by 2020, surpassing even liquor sales in the country.  

Innovation distilled into its simplest meaning is creating new things. From fire pits and sharp stones to quantum computing and nuclear fusion, innovators create value for themselves and their users.

If there was one word to describe the Canadian cannabis industry in 2017, it would be explosive.