Licensed cannabis stores will remain open in Ontario during a provincial emergency shutdown of non-essential businesses designed to limit the spread of COVID-19, according to two sources directly familiar with the matter. 

Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Monday that all non-essential businesses in the province will be required to shut down effective Tuesday at 11:59 p.m. for a period of at least 14 days. A list of businesses that will remain open will be released Tuesday, the government said in a release. 

Both sources, who declined to be named since the decision hasn't been made official, confirmed that cannabis retailers made the cut and will be deemed essential when the province releases its list of businesses that can remain open during the 14-day shutdown. 

It may not be an opportune time for companies to go public, but don't tell that to former Canopy Growth (NYSE:CGC) CEO Bruce Linton. Linton is still involved in the cannabis industry through Vireo Health (OTC:VREOF), and he's also looking to make a much bigger splash with the launch of a new company called Collective Growth. Given the success he achieved in making Canopy Growth into an industry leader, investors may want to keep a close watch on his latest business.

Canadian cannabis shoppers will have to get used to a patchwork of closed stores and delivery disruptions as pot distributors across the country implement changes.

The moves have been sparked by an outbreak of the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19, which has pushed increasing numbers of Canadians to self-isolate and caused surges in demand for cannabis

Cannabis retailers in several provinces have advised customers that Canada Post will no longer be delivering parcels that require a signature or proof-of-age to customer doors because of disruptions to air travel and operations at their local facilities.

Shoppers must now look for a notice card notifying them of a nearby post office where they can show identification at and collect their orders.

Despite the cannabis industry's struggles, sales in its most important fully legalized market continue to grow. On Friday, Statistics Canada released its latest set of economic data, revealing that sales of licensed cannabis increased by 4.3% in January on a month-over-month basis.

That growth was in contrast to the broader Canadian retail economy, which rose only marginally over that stretch of time.

Cannabis users looking to get marijuana at Barrie's only legal dispensary will have to wait a bit longer.

After days of long lines, people flocking to 'One Plant' showed up today to a closed sign on the door.

It read: "We have temporarily shut down due to current circumstances regarding Covid-19. Thank you for your understanding."

Early Friday evening, management at One Plant told CTV News the store was temporarily closed in an abundance of caution after a staff member told them that they had been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

"This decision was taken by One Plant leadership as a precautionary measure due to the rapidly evolving novel Coronavirus (Covid-19)," wrote Manager Ryan Grenville.

A new policy directive from the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch will be welcome news for anyone who doesn’t want to linger inside a store waiting for their purchases.

Under the revised policy released Friday, the LCRB has clarified that retailers can now take online or phone reservations for non-medical cannabis products from customers; previously the regulator had only stipulated that online sales were banned.

Retailers still can’t sell their products online, but under the revised policy they can allow customers to reserve products online.

Customers must still go to the retail location to purchase and pick up their products.

Canadian-based Organigram Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: OGI) (TSX: OGI) gave

I’ve been social distancing, of course, along with every other responsible citizen looking to flatten the COVID-19 curve. So when I got an email saying my medical cannabis recommendation needed renewed, I was nervous. My head started to spin: Would I need to break self-isolation and take public transit into the city for an appointment with my doctor?!

But I can do it all online from home. The Canadian medical cannabis system was already largely set up for online encounters — which isn’t always ideal — but many clinics are going completely virtual for these difficult times we’re in.

To manage stress in the face of the coronavirus pandemic or just to pass the time under quarantine, Canadians and tourists have been lining up for several days at pot shops and flooding online cannabis retailers' sites to stock up on the mood-altering drug.

In front of the Societe Quebecoise du Cannabis (SQDC) boutique on Sainte-Catherine Street, Montreal's main commercial drive, a long line has formed before it even opens.

"We decided to quarantine, we're just going to look for weed for the 15 days," says Maureen Duflot, 28. She arrived in Montreal Tuesday evening with her partner on the last flight from Paris before Canada closed its borders to foreigners.

Hexo Corp. said Tuesday it will delay the release of its upcoming quarterly results due to “certain exceptional circumstances” and expects to report a “significant” impairment that could be as much as $280 million in the quarter.

The Gatineau, Que.-based cannabis producer didn’t specify the cause of the impairment which led Hexo to delay its fiscal second-quarter results, but noted it plans to release amended filings for its two prior quarterly reports later on Tuesday.

“The calculation of this impairment is complex and, while a value range for the impairment is known, the final amount remains to be determined,” Hexo said in a statement.

It expects the range of its impairment charge to be between $265 million to $280 million.