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Quebec Cannabis Industry Association launches

Arising from reflections of a working group of Quebec cannabis companies, the QCIA’s mission is to represent Quebec’s cannabis industry and to constructively and responsibly contribute to the sector’s development, according to a release.

The QCIA said it wants to play an active role in the ongoing collective discussions about the cannabis industry and ways to regulate it. The association said it will also support public health and safety objectives underpinning the legalization of cannabis, namely to reduce the harm associated with consumption by supplying high-quality products subject to rigorous quality control, and to redirect the proceeds of cannabis to the legal market.

“The cannabis industry in Quebec is growing fast. The need to bring industry leaders together to encourage growth in this sector has become increasingly evident,” said Michel Timperio, chairman of QCIA’s Board of Directors and president of the cannabis division of Neptune Wellness Solutions. “There is also a need to collectively address Quebec-specific issues and to have the industry’s voice heard in the development of the regulatory framework, in collaboration with the Government of Quebec and all stakeholders.”

The QCIA said it will focus primarily on provincial jurisdiction issues and will collaborate with the Cannabis Council of Canada(C3), the national association of Canada’s licenced producers, on matters of federal jurisdiction.

“There are still some unknowns related to cannabis and the industry; that is why we want to engage with many organizations to continue to build this sector together,” Timperio added.

QCIA Members
The founders of the association include Great White North Growers, HEXO, MTL Cannabis, Neptune Wellness Solutions, Origine Nature, ROSE LifeScience, Terranueva, and Verdélite Sciences, who are current and future licensed producers and processors of cannabis for medical and recreational use with facilities located in Quebec.

Companies governed by the Cannabis Act, or those awaiting a licence for operations in Quebec, are eligible to become members of the QCIA. The association said it welcomes new members regardless of the category of licence they hold or have applied for under the Cannabis Act.

“The Quebec cannabis market is emerging and that is why we encourage as many licenced producers and processors, and those awaiting the issuance of their licence, to become a member of the association,” Timperio said. “We want to be as representative as possible in order to shape an association that will meet the needs of the industry.”