Press Release
March 20, 2020
Hon. Navdeep Bains, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
235 Queen St, Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0H5
Hon. William Morneau, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Finance
90 Elgin Street, Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0G5
Ministers:
On behalf of the regulated cannabis sector, its employees, shareholders, customers/patients, and companies, we are requesting that the Government of Canada implement immediate measures to provide
economic stimulus to our industry.
Canada’s cannabis industry has weathered several shocks in the past six months, including the loss of over 2,000 well-paying jobs in the sector. Our access to capital, including credit, is challenging. COVID-19 has added another significant impact, both with our suppliers and our workforce.
As the federal government considers supports for small, medium and large Canadian businesses, we ask that the regulated cannabis industry be included. Some identified ways to do this are:
• Equal and fair access to significant supports for all cannabis companies working to keep employees employed, including access to wage subsidies as announced on March 18, 2020 by the Prime Minister and Finance Minister. The announcement made March 18 is only applicable to small businesses but a number of stakeholders across the industry employ a greater number than would qualify under the definition of small business;
• Equal and fair access to funding through federal agencies, EDC or BDC as other industries have for credit instruments. Presently, for example, BDC has indicated that the regulated cannabis sector can not access the $10B in stimulus funding, part of which is available through that crown corporation.
We are not asking for special treatment, but rather equitable treatment.
These are difficult times and we appreciate the Government of Canada taking decisive action. Regulated cannabis companies face economic stigmatization despite serving the legal, federally regulated system. All Canadian cannabis companies highly value our employees, patients, and consumers — their health and safety are our top priority.
We are asking that this industry, which has added a cumulative total of $8B to the Canadian GDP over the course of the last year, specifically and explicitly be included in all economic stimulus measures and provided the support that is being offered to every other Canadian business at this time.
Sincerely,
Paul Duffy
365 Vertical Group
Corey Tyacke
5Buds Cannabis
Andrew Morin
7 Points Cannabis
John Carle
Alberta Cannabis Council
Michel Timperio
Association québécoise de l’industrie du cannabis
Christian Lopez
Atlas Growers
Rick Savone
Aurora Inc.
Jason Sonshine
Auxly Cannabis Group Inc.
Mack Andrews
Aylmer Nelson Cannabis
Karen Barry
Beltline Cannabis
Annie Do
BRNT Design
Jesse Beaudry
Candre Cannabis
Travis Dahl
Cannabis & Hemp Innovation Centre
Dean Millard
Cannabis 101 Podcast
George Smitherman
Cannabis Council of Canada
Narbe Alexandrian
Canopy Rivers Inc.
Adina Rothenberg
Choklat Cannabis
Rachelle Dyer
Choom Cannabis
Sharron Longowal
Crown Cannabis
Dusty Covey
Draw It Right
Brandon Wright
Dynaleo Cannabis
Patrick Moher
Ethical Image
Trevor Fencott
Fire & Flower Inc.
Scott Sinclair
Freedom Cannabis
James Jesty
Friendly Stranger Holdings Corp
Garo Keresteci
Fuse Marketing
Chris Zimmerman
Glenora Cannabis
Lorena Mitchell
Grassroots Cannabis Inc.
Tina Northwest
Green Nation Naturals
Barinder Rasode
Grow Tech Labs
Matthew Hollingshead
Hifyre
Morgan Dakin & Jeff Callaway
High Ground Cannabis Inc.
Arun Modgil
Himalaya Cannabis
Daniel Welch
ICF Next
Dave Paterson
Indiva Life
Jeff Karren
Joi Botanicals
Eleanor Lynch
Kiaro Brands Inc.
Tim Raho
Made In Cannabis Inc.
Erik Soderstrom
Marsh Insurance
Deepak Anand
Material Ventures Inc.
Greg Turnbull
McCarthy Professional Corp
Lisa Kowalchuk
Medicine Hat Chamber of Commerce
Fern Glowinsky
Merrco Payments Inc.
Jeff Heisler
Mjayz Cannabis Shop
Nathan Mison
National Cannabis Working Group
Dessy Pavlova
National Institute for Cannabis Health and Education
Daniel Nguyen
Numo Cannabis
Ryan Kaye
Ogen Cannabis
Daniel Safayeni
Ontario Chamber of Commerce & Ontario Cannabis Policy Council
Greg Engel
Organigram Inc.
Lindsay Blackett
Peakterra Inc.
Thomas Pigeon
Pigeon Brands
Terry Blumes
Rocky Mountain Extracts Co.
Jeremy Hrdlicka
Rosebud Cannabis Farms
Dawson MacKinnon
Running Leaf Corporation
Stephanie Mosher
Sensi Cann
Chris Felgate
Small Town Buds
Dipanjan Nandi
Spirit Leaf – McDougall Franchise
Cecil Horwitz
Spirit Leaf Corporate Office
Chris Ashley
Spirit Leaf – Bow Trail Franchise
Gerald Proctor
Sundial Cannabis
Mimi Lam
Superette Shop
Daniel Sutton
Tantalus Labs
Kiestyn Weber
The Green Exchange
Brian Athaide
The Green Organic Dutchman
Will Forseth
The Peak Cannabis Company
Adine Carter
Tilray
Keenan Pascal
Token Naturals
Ron Gautheir
Upryze Cannabis Ltd.
John Larsen
Valhalla Cannabis
Vianney Aubrecht
Velvet Management
Todd Pringle
Wabi Sabi Brands
Angelo Tsebelis
WeedMD
Stephanie Bunch
YSS Retailer
