BC Craft Farmers Co-Op Responding to Cannabis Act Review Today
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 22, 2022
Vancouver, BC (September 22, 2022) – Representatives from the Retail Cannabis Council of British Columbia (RCCBC) and the BC Craft Farmers Co-Operative (BCCFC) are available to local, provincial and national media organizations covering the federal government’s Cannabis Act review announcement today.
RCCBC represents independent licensed cannabis retailers in all regions of British Columbia. BCCFC represents BC craft cannabis farmers, processors, nurseries, testing labs, retailers and sector supporters. Contact us directly at:
jaclynn@rcc-bc.com; www.rcc-bc.com
info@bccraftfarmerscoop.com; www.bccraftfarmerscoop.com
BCCFC President Tara Kirkpatrick said, “The review presents an opportunity to change the rules and regulations that have kept thousands of BC craft farmers out of the legal system. However, consumers can’t wait another two years for change. Canada needs to initiate improvements now to address hardships facing hard-working craft farmers and their families.”
RCCBC Executive Director Jaclynn Pehota said, “The original public interest goals of the Act are not being achieved, particularly related to eliminating the illicit market and ensuring the new industry includes fair access for small and large businesses. We need the BC government to work with us on a Team BC approach to make long-overdue changes to this important Act.”
In April, BCCFC and RCCBC hosted a BC Cannabis Summit in Kelowna attended by 400+ BC sector leaders. Delegates voted for a series of resolutions to address policy challenges preventing BC farmers and retailers from achieving their full potential.
To guide the Cannabis Act review, delegates recommended the Government of Canada ensures:
- the scope of the review includes all elements of the Act and its regulations
- an all-party Committee of the House of Commons leads the review
- BC craft farmers, processors and independent retailers are included in this review, the proposed strategy table and the drafting of a revisions to the Act
- The Minister of Health initiates a series of immediate micro-class license changes, including:
o doubling of the unreasonably low micro-production and micro-processing caps
o pre-clearance of security checks instead of waiting until the end of the process
o increase purchase and possession limits from 30 grams
o Allow organic and craft labelling on cannabis products
Canada’s Cannabis Act (The Act) is up for mandatory review this year. The Act has perpetuated a heavy reliance on outdated and punitive approaches to cannabis control that were associated with prohibition. The Act has also failed to transition thousands of BC craft farmers or facilitate a path to viability for many other businesses in the legal regime. Instead, all are smothered by red tape, inflated costs and an uneven tax burden.
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Media Contact:
David Hurford, volunteer Secretary
info@bccraftfarmerscoop.com