The Ontario Cannabis Store announced it was consulting with LPs and REC retailers about “increasing private sector participation in the delivery of [REC] to stores across Ontario.” This will likely eventually end the OCS’s central warehouse and role in wholesaling, and allow LPs to sell directly to retailers. It would also make the brick-and-mortar REC retail sector fully private.
OCS
- OCS CEO Cal Bricker said the demand for new products legalized this week motivated the move to privatize wholesale.
CBC Toronto - The OCS has no intention of letting anyone else sell REC online in Ontario.
Twitter—Trina Fraser - The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has so far granted 24 REC store licenses and disqualified 20 REC retail applicants.
Twitter—Matt Maurer
Everyone agrees Ontario needs more REC stores, though analysts aren’t sure precisely how many. Is it twice as many? Ten times?
CanTech Letter, Globe and Mail
- In Saskatchewan, owners of small stores worry they can’t compete against REC retail chains backed by large corporations.
Star Phoenix
Quick Hits
- Lawyer Jodi Butts—wife of Justin Trudeau’s close friend and former principal secretary Gerry Butts—was nominated to Aphria’s board, and will likely be confirmed on November 14. She’ll be compensated with $150,000 cash and another $150,000 worth of deferred share units.
National Post - Darryl Dexter, former NDP premier of Nova Scotia who now advises on cannabis issues, called on Ottawa to get involved with complaints from the sector that banks are refusing access to and closing accounts of cannabis businesses.
MJ Biz Daily
