SAQ head Alain Brunet says clients will be able to buy behind-the-counter pot from extensively trained workers.

The head of Quebec's liquor board says even though there's still no official date for the legalization of cannabis, the SAQ will be ready to serve Quebecers in stores and online.

SAQ president and CEO Alain Brunet says the agency is in the process of figuring out where stores will be located —they can't be within 250 metres of an elementary or high school — and will soon be recruiting employees.

The SAQ will oversee the sale and distribution of marijuana, but the sales will be carried out by a separate entity: the Société Québécoise du Cannabis.

Think AHLOT Corporation ("AHLOT"), a leading cannabis experience and innovation company, is pleased to announce it will launch the world's first cannabis sample pack showcasing multiple strains and producers from across Canada. Debuting in Canada's recreational and medical cannabis markets, the sample packs will contain five (5) one-gram samples of the finest cannabis available from multiple Licensed Producers. The sample packs will introduce consumers to the unique strains and stories being cultivated by the world's best growers, starting in Canada.

Up to $1,000,000 of seed capital to support aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs.

Canopy Rivers Corporation ("Canopy Rivers", or the "Company") is excited to help foster growth in the Canadian cannabis landscape by hosting a pitch day for cannabis entrepreneurs ahead of impending adult use legalization. In accordance with the proposed regulations underneath the Cannabis Act (Bill C-45) and the new "micro" class of licenses, the Company is offering up to $1,000,000 of seed capital to support a diverse range of aspiring cannabis entrepreneurs.

CBD oil doesn't produce a high but is suggested to aid in runner's recovery.

Cannabis and cannabis-related products are becoming much more prevalent and accepted in Canada. This acceptance has lead to a deeper exploration of cannabis, and what the drug can do to help athletes. While cannabis in its psychoactive form remains illegal both in and out of competition, there is an emerging cannabis-related product called cannabidiol that is showing benefits for runners. It is suggested that cannabidiol can lessen inflammation and improve recovery time.

Ontario’s chiefs of police are again sounding alarm bells about the impending legalization of recreational cannabis, saying federal funding for police operations may not go far enough to cover increased costs.

At a news conference held by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police in Toronto on Tuesday, Ontario Provincial Police Chief Supt. Chuck Cox said it’s fair to assume based on other jurisdictions’ experiences that drug-impaired driving will go up once recreational pot is legal, and police will need to train more officers to detect drug impairment.

That, Cox said, can be costly.

City planners in Prince Albert say it is “crunch time” for local legislation as the legalization of cannabis in Canada grinds closer.

The city's next steps were rolled out in front of city’s council's executive committee Monday night. Craig Guidinger, director of planning and development, said legalization will use a top-down approach largely dictated by the federal and provincial governments, but there are still a few items municipalities will have the ability to tweak. Guidinger said city planners are still conducting research and reviewing best practices using information from the provincial cannabis survey to prepare draft regulations, but nothing has yet been set in stone.

Moncton-based medicinal cannabis producer Organigram announced three new brands for the adult recreational market on Tuesday.

Organigram’s recreational portfolio will be officially launched once adult use recreational cannabis is legal in Canada and includes the launch of The Edison Cannabis Company, ANKR Organics and Trailer Park Buds.

“Our recreational brand strategy incorporates the best of what we know about our current and potential customers, the industry and opportunities for growth, and the production of our premium products,” said Greg Engel, CEO of Organigram in a release. “The addition of each of these brands is the result of more than 18 months of research, development and teamwork to better understand our products and consumers.”

A recent report from CFRA Research projected that alcohol companies could be squeezed by legal cannabis in the coming years. Analyst Joe Agnese made the projection in a note published on March 5. “Due to shared usage occasions, we view the legalization of cannabis as a threat to alcohol industry consumption growth.”

Agnese pointed to research from the University of Connecticut and George State University that found that monthly alcohol sales dropped 13% in states that legalized medical cannabis. In the report, he predicts that Canada will make a very good test case.

Several former executives from a Carleton Place cannabis firm are launching a new venture and hope to construct a 100,000-square-foot facility in west Ottawa and start cultivating marijuana by May 2019.

NordikLeaf CEO James Mackenzie says the firm has raised $1 million to date and is looking to raise a total of $25 million from high-net-worth individuals to launch the project. Additionally, the company has an agreement with “a large Canadian construction company” based in Ottawa that will help finance the building of the facility.

Canada's impending legalization of marijuana is spurring demand for commercial real estate, particularly for retail shops in Alberta, where the government is selecting private operators to conduct over-the-counter sales, industry players said Tuesday.

Real estate consultancy JLL said its phone has been "ringing off the hook" as cannabis companies look to secure space to cultivate the plant and seek retail space to sell the final product.

Commercial real estate prices haven't "seen a major bump yet", but that is expected to change after legalization, research manager Gaurav Mathur said during a panel discussion at an industry conference in Toronto.