Dear friends,
On behalf of our Directors, I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a safe and happy 2021! All of us are happy to have 2020 in the rear-view mayor. While we know we are not out of the COVID-19 woods yet, we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. By this time next year, we hope to be doing more in-person meetings than Zoom calls!
Despite the challenges of 2020, it was a positively eventful year for BC’s craft cannabis sector. With the creation of the Co-Op, micro-cannabis farmers, processors and independent retailers now have a democratic, public organization to help them access the new legal marketplace, maintain BC’s top position as an international leader, and provide consumers with the high-quality cannabis they are seeking. At the end of the year, we received a sign that maybe all the hard work is paying off with the announcement by the Government of Canada that they intend to conduct a review of the micro-class regulations and establish a dedicated regional economic development agency for B.C. Both responded to the June 2020 proposal we sent to the Prime Minister and BC Premier.
Since the Board was elected at our founding AGM in August, we have been working non-stop. In addition to advocacy, we have set up communication hubs across a variety of social media platform, organized regular networking events online, established a series of community partnerships, established an insurance Task Force, four working committees, hosted a BC election forum, secured banking services for members. Throughout all of this, we have maintained a transparent application process that has welcomed close to 200 applications in just a few short months.
With the economic crisis created by COVID-19 and the opportunity for the BC craft cannabis sector to create thousands of jobs with a smooth transition to the legal market, 2021 promises to be just as busy and historic. As was the case last year, our efforts will continue to be guided by the feedback of our Members and Supporters. That is why I hope you will take 180 seconds over the next few days to complete an important survey our Board has developed. Your suggestions and perspective will guide our 2021 work plan priorities. Help shape the future of the Co-op and Canada’s craft cannabis sector.
Thanks again for all your interest and support. We look forward to seeing more of you in 2021.
Yours truly,
Bob