First of a series on the preservation of a 香蕉视频直播榗raft cannabis香蕉视频直播� industry in B.C.
In the bad old days, B.C. used to supply half of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 marijuana, export it to the United States by the hockey bag, and bring home a bong-full of blue ribbons for its exotic 香蕉视频直播淏.C. bud香蕉视频直播� strains from international Cannabis Cup competitions in Amsterdam.
Premier John Horgan argues that this history is the main reason why legal marijuana has fizzled so far in B.C., a year into Prime Minister Justin Trudeau香蕉视频直播檚 bold legalization experiment. Horgan香蕉视频直播檚 government is moving to take over the 香蕉视频直播渆conomic development香蕉视频直播� part of legal cannabis from Ottawa, because its ponderous Health Canada licence system for growers is working great for mass-market producers in Ontario and Quebec. And it香蕉视频直播檚 killing B.C. bud.
The Central Kootenay around Nelson B.C. is ground zero for Horgan香蕉视频直播檚 experiment, economic development grants to subsidize and guide illegal growers from the dark side to the light. The $676,000 project is funded by the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, and administered by Community Futures Central Kootenay.
Energy Minister Michelle Mungall, who holds the Nelson-Creston seat for the NDP, was quoted in a low-circulation , applauding the grant香蕉视频直播檚 potential to help growers navigate the federal-provincial-municipal regulations. Kootenay West MLA Katrine Conroy, another NDP cabinet minister, has expressed her concern that Canada香蕉视频直播檚 wave of stock-market-backed mega-producers is a grave threat to her local economy.
Social Development Min explains why gets the first economic grant for its growers
香蕉视频直播� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
Social Development Minister Shane Simpson says this is his ministry香蕉视频直播檚 first cannabis-related business venture, and it was a grassroots idea. If it works for the Kootenays, it could work for the Okanagan or the Sunshine Coast, Simpson says.
香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檝e seen what香蕉视频直播檚 happened with the craft beer industry in British Columbia,香蕉视频直播� Simpson said in an interview with Black Press. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 exploded and become an important part of the local economies in communities right across the province. It香蕉视频直播檚 possible that there could be that same craft aspect to the production of cannabis. 香蕉视频直播淓verybody talks about B.C. Bud and the reputation it has, so if we can build a craft industry that香蕉视频直播檚 legal, that香蕉视频直播檚 regulated appropriately, then that香蕉视频直播檚 a good thing.香蕉视频直播�
PART TWO:
PART THREE:
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B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 main legal effort is a monopoly wholesaler run by the Liquor Distribution Branch, with a monopoly online store and a scattering of government-owned retail stores, a few licensed private retailers and a ragtag of unlicensed stores and private dealers. Some insiders estimate that the 香蕉视频直播済rey market香蕉视频直播� and 香蕉视频直播渂lack market香蕉视频直播� ragtag still holds 80 per cent of the B.C. market.
Large-scale licensed national producers, the Budweiser and Coors Light of cannabis, have been noted for missed targets, regulatory cheating, and a shortage followed by a glut of overpriced product, some of it getting mouldy sitting in the warehouse.
Horgan says he香蕉视频直播檚 well aware that most of the product Health Canada has made legal for recreational sales is from other provinces. And he recalls telling the Trudeau government well before legalization that B.C. would make its own way on business development.
香蕉视频直播淭he federal government said 香蕉视频直播榳e香蕉视频直播檒l take care of economic development香蕉视频直播�, and we just disagreed with them on that, and we continue to disagree with them on that,香蕉视频直播� Horgan told reporters at the B.C. legislature Nov. 28. 香蕉视频直播淲e have in B.C. a legendary quality product, and that香蕉视频直播檚 not making its way to the legal market.香蕉视频直播�
BC Premier explains the struggle of making legal in the land of
香蕉视频直播� Tom Fletcher (@tomfletcherbc)
The jokes about the B.C. NDP somehow l are no longer funny. It香蕉视频直播檚 a fact. In her second-quarter budget update, Finance Minister Carole James reported that forecast for B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch income has been lowered $18 million 香蕉视频直播渄ue to the delayed rollout of private and public cannabis stores and lower-than-anticipated demand.香蕉视频直播�
Federal excise tax from cannabis, the dollar-a-gram first take for recreational product, is split three quarters for the province and one quarter for Ottawa. The latest forecast downgraded B.C.香蕉视频直播檚 share for the current fiscal year from $38 million to $8 million. Policing and other costs are coming in higher than budgeted.
Horgan acknowledges that the problem is the black market is still here, and the 香蕉视频直播済rey market香蕉视频直播� that worked through medical dispensaries and compassion clubs, is greatly endangered. One disadvantage is price, with Statistics Canada estimating that legal cannabis is running close to $10 a gram, while illegal product is selling for half that.
Quebec-based Hexo Corp. has a plan for that, and it香蕉视频直播檚 more bad news for 香蕉视频直播渃raft cannabis香蕉视频直播� in B.C. Hexo has launched a budget product for national sales called 香蕉视频直播淥riginal Stash.香蕉视频直播� It香蕉视频直播檚 only sold in the old-school 28-gram or one-ounce bag, at $4.99 a gram.
Next part: A craft cannabis grower navigates the regulatory system.
tfletcher@blackpress.ca
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