The race is on for growers to achieve the next level of licensing from Health Canada — the licence to sell.

It might sound like a setup line to a joke.

What do an old slaughterhouse, an empty Bowater building and a former military facility all have in common?

The punchline: All three are now being used to grow cannabis in Nova Scotia — the start of what the farmers say will be a bumper crop in three communities.

In the Wentworth Valley, there are hundreds of plants in various stages of growth at Breathing Green Solutions.

The aggressively growing Canadian pot stock Aurora Cannabis Inc. (TSX:ACB) has been on a rampant acquisition spree this year with severely dilutive consequences for existing shareholders. The company has released a plethora of news pieces in May, starting with the conclusion of the CanniMed acquisition on May 1, and including the record breaking, high-profile, and evidently expensive MedReleaf Corp. (TSX:LEAF) acquisition at a huge premium. On top of the massive dilution, the massive growth in acquisitions “goodwill” on Aurora’s balance sheet, which highlights overpayments on acquired tangible assets, could be a recipe for disaster if this intangible asset has to be…

As the legalization deadline for marijuana recreational use nears, some investors are again looking toward Canada’s pot stocks, hoping to make a quick buck. But does investing in marijuana stocks make sense just before this major event? By looking at the share prices of Canada’s top marijuana producers, it seems the majority of investors have adopted a wait-and-see approach. After delivering triple-digit gains in 2017, the top marijuana stocks are having a roller-coaster ride so far this year. This price action partly reflects the impact of the ongoing consolidation in the sector,…

With only weeks to go before recreational marijuana becomes legal in Canada, there are still a number of unknowns about how the pot industry will take shape. One thing’s for certain, though: Canada’s cannabis producers are growing way too much weed, says Wolfgang Klein of Canaccord Genuity.

The countdown is on, as across the country licensed producers big and small are now erecting greenhouses and planting marijuana crops at a furious pace. And the promised production numbers are huge. Take the two clear leaders in the space, Canopy Growth and Aurora Cannabis: both companies are building facilities covering millions of square feet each, with expected growing capacity for each company now projected into the 400,000 kg of dried cannabis range.

Entrepreneurs who want to sell supplies to help consumers grow cannabis at home are waiting anxiously for June 7, when Canadian senators are expected to vote on, and potentially amend, the Cannabis Act.

One amendment that may pass is a ban on Canadians’ ability to grow cannabis for recreational purposes at their homes.

The likelihood of that amendment passing in a vote of the entire Senate dimmed a bit May 28, when a Senate committee voted by a 6-5 margin against the proposal. That committee vote result, however, is not binding, and does not limit the full Senate from accepting an amendment in the Cannabis Act to have a nationwide ban on grow-your-own cannabis in a June 7 vote.

Two East Kootenay chambers of commerce are teaming up to find a way to protect and boost the lot of small business owners as Canada heads toward cannabis legalization this July.

The Kimberley & District and the Columbia Valley Chambers of Commerce report they are working to protect small business owners by submitting a policy resolution to over 200 delegates at the British Columbia Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting in Kamloops on Friday, May 25.

The resolution, entitled, Distribution Fairness for Craft Producers and Retailers (DFCPR) in the emerging cannabis market was adopted by the delegation making it an official policy of the BC Chamber of Commerce.

Pot stores can't set up within a block of daycares, schools, places where minors congregate.

Regina's city council has decided that the city's future pot shops cannot within one block of daycares, schools or other places youths are known to frequent — unless it's downtown.

The one block buffer zone will not apply in downtown Regina. Instead each shop's approval in the area will be at the discretion of city council.

Likewise, if a pot shop is set up first, a daycare, school or any other place with children cannot set up within one block. The final bylaw will be put to a vote on at next month's city council meeting.

Original pot zoning bylaw fails, council to revisit issue in June.

With federal marijuana legalization looming on the horizon, Saskatoon City Council has voted against a zoning bylaw that would have set the rules around where marijuana vendors could place their shops.

The initial proposal stated that there would have to be a 160-metre separation distance between dispensaries and schools, parks, libraries and community centres. Stores in the Broadway area would receive a 60-metre buffer as an exemption.

However, a majority of councillors balked at the separation limit and voted against the bylaw.

Buffer zones around youth oriented facilities have been given initial approval as Moose Jaw City Council prepares for the eventual legalization of cannabis in Canada.

No cannabis shop will be allowed within 166m of any school and must stay at least 83m away from parks, daycares, the library or public recreation facilities but there is a small exemption for around Crescent Park where the buffer would be 60m in order to allow a portion of Main Street to be potentially used for a shop.

"We looked at the sensitive types of uses like schools, daycares, parks and libraries, areas where youth are congregating," explained Director of Planning Michelle Sanson. "We want to make sure that we are putting in some separation distances to accommodate those types of places."

Based on $143 million raise, MedMen appears to be the most valuable public U.S. marijuana company to date.

Shares of upscale U.S. marijuana retailer MM Enterprises USA LLC are expected to begin trading on the Canadian Securities Exchange Tuesday, following the reverse takeover of a Canadian shell company and a $143-million raise that gives the company an implied value of more than $2 billion.

MedMen, which will trade as MMEN after acquiring oil and gas shell Ladera Ventures Corp., is by far the largest company listed on the CSE, and is expected to be the most valuable public U.S. marijuana company to date.