It's been almost two years since Canada legalized cannabis and pot producers have spent millions of dollars marketing their wares in the hope that consumers would know their Tweeds from their Trailblazers. 

Most of that money may have been completely wasted, according to a new survey that looks at how well Canadians can identify some of the brands available at legal pot shops across the country. 

The survey, published by Brightfield Group, polled 3,000 Canadians in the first quarter of the year. It found that brand awareness remains low, which is confusing consumers and resulting in "decision fatigue." Roughly two out of every five respondents said they were aware of Canopy Growth Corp.'s Tweed brand, while 17 different brands had less than 20 per cent name awareness.

Customs officials seized nearly five tons of cannabis last week from a truck that was attempting to cross into the U.S. at the Peace Bridge Port of Entry on New York’s border with Canada, federal law enforcement officers announced on Monday. The seizure is the third large pot bust this month at the border crossing that has seen an uptick in smuggling via commercial vehicles since travel restrictions called in response to the COVID-19 pandemic were put in place this spring.

The pandemic might have grounded your vacation plans overseas but that doesn’t mean you can’t explore your own country this summer and discover under-the-radar sites ideal for the adventurous Canadian cannabis fan.

That’s why we’re looking beyond the obvious hotspots, like Vancouver’s Vansterdam strip, to list a few hidden gems and lesser-known landmarks for the curious and intrepid traveller.

Perfect for a chill road trip or a fun read in the park, this guide features one notable place to visit in each province, from historical stoner sites to jaw-dropping glassware stores to gorgeous smoke spots.

Here are our picks.

Aurora’s cost-cutting effort resolves one problem but exposes another.

Aurora tries to backpedal to profitability

At this time last year, Aurora Cannabis was still widely viewed as the kingpin of marijuana. Although it didn’t have Canopy Growth‘s cash pile, it had 15 production facilities that, if fully operational, could produce more than 650,000 kilos of cannabis a year.

Bast Fibre Technologies Inc. (BFTi) of Canada said it has sold $3.3 million (CA$4.5 million) worth of equity to Natural Products Canada (NPC) to finance trials and start production of hemp-based, compostable cleaning wipes.

Bast Fibre’s Chairman and CEO Noel Hall said the company hopes to capitalize on the trend toward elimination of single-use plastics and address the environmental problems caused by non-biodegradable synthetic wipes.

There’s a world of mystery inside those frosty hairs that coat your cannabis. They are called trichomes, and they grow on lichens, algae, and various plants around the world. The small, mushroom-shaped fibres are also a source of THC and CBD-forming metabolites and the terpenes that give cannabis its unique fragrance. 

In March, Canadian cannabis sales hit a new record with sales of 181.1 Canadian dollars, as reported by Statistics Canada. Concerns about the shortfall of cannabis due to the COVID-19 outbreak led customers to pile up their inventories. As a result, there was a sharp rise in marijuana sales. In April, cannabis sales came in at $180.1 million—0.6% down from the March sales.

Canopy Growth (WEED.TO)(CGC) sees the addressable legal cannabis market expanding to nearly $70 billion globally by 2023, up from almost $10 billion today.

“Canada is expected to be about four times the size that it was in 2019. U.S. CBD, six times. In Germany, about 10 times . . . by the time we get to 2023,” Canopy’s chief executive officer David Klein said during the company’s virtual investor day on Monday. “Our goal is to hold a leading share position in each of these markets.”

The federal health ministry is refusing to name the 575 locations of medical marijuana producers in Canada.

In court documents, the ministry claims that giving out postal codes or home cities “would create a serious possibility that individuals could be identified,” according to Blacklock’s Reporter.

The non-disclosure has led to a federal lawsuit by Information Commissioner Caroline Maynard, who dismissed the ministry’s claim.

“Canadians have a right to request information from the government,” Maynard told the Commons government operations committee. “The right of access and need for transparency have not been suspended during the pandemic.”