Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General Garry Begg, SPARK early bird pricing, union decertification, and more --------------------------------------------------------- |
|
|
Cannabis Industry Update: January 8, 2025 |
Dear ABLE BC cannabis members and industry colleagues,
Here's the latest news for the private cannabis industry: -
ABLE BC & Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General
- Take Advantage of SPARK Early Bird Pricing
- Last Chance to Order Your 2025 ID Checking Guide
-
Potential Changes Coming to Cannabis Excise Stamps
- Weeds International Inc. Granted a PRS Licence
- Recap of 2024 Canna Winter Clothing Drive
- Ask an Expert: Union Decertification
- go2HR on Tap: Enhancing HR with Technology
-
Member Spotlight: Sun Coast Cannabis Shoppe
- Out and About with ABLE BC
- Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinars
|
|
|
ABLE BC & Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety & Solicitor General
ABLE BC’s Head of Cannabis Membership, Bo Chen, and Executive Director, Jeff Guignard, held our first meeting with the Honourable Garry Begg, BC’s new Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, in December 2024. As Minister Begg is responsible for the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) and Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB), we raised important cannabis industry priorities, including:
- Addressing industry market controls in BC, such as a provincial minimum distance requirement;
- The impact of government-run BC Cannabis Stores on private cannabis retailers;
- Addressing the illicit market;
-
Streamlining LCRB and LDB administration and policies to improve financial viability for retailers;
- Shaping the future of industry through cannabis tourism and hospitality; and more.
Minister Begg seemed particularly well informed about the financial challenges of BC’s cannabis retailers, and he expressed a sincere desire to make effective policy changes that will support industry’s growth. We're looking forward to working closely with him in the months ahead.
If you would like to learn more about the issues ABLE BC is working on, please contact Bo Chen at bo@ablebc.ca. |
Jeff Guignard, Minister Begg, Bo Chen |
|
|
People Working Well The CMHA BC and go2HR have created a resource for tourism and hospitality employers and employees dealing with mental health challenges at work. |
| Liquor Industry Update Newsletter
Sign up for our Liquor Industry Update Newsletter to learn more about our advocacy for liquor businesses. Click here to read past liquor newsletters. |
| ABLE BC Member Portal
The Member Portal is your hub for all resources and benefits available to ABLE BC members. Contact bo@ablebc.ca if you need help logging in. |
|
|
Take Advantage of SPARK Early Bird Pricing
Early bird pricing for SPARK 2025: BC Liquor & Cannabis Conference is ending soon. Don't miss out on the best pricing available for BC's premier liquor and cannabis conference.
Want to take your team to SPARK? We have special discounted rates available for group registration. Contact Jesse Sidhu, Manager of Membership & Events, at jesse@ablebc.ca or 604-688-5560 ex 3 to secure the best price for your team.
Register now to join us for a day of advocacy, engagement, and networking on March 5, 2025, at the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre. |
Member Rates Early Bird: $395 | Regular: $549 Log in to the Member Portal to secure your member rate.
Questions about the portal or ABLE BC memberships? Contact jesse@ablebc.ca.
Non-Member Rates Early Bird: $495 | Regular: $649
Discounted Group Rates Available Registering several members of your team?
Contact jesse@ablebc.ca to access special pricing.
All liquor, cannabis, tourism, and hospitality industry members are welcome! |
|
|
Last Chance to Order Your 2025 ID Checking Guides The NEW 2025 North American ID Checking Guide and NEW 16th Edition International ID Checking Guide are now available to order through ABLE BC.
Place your order before January 10, 2025, to secure our group buying discount! |
ID Checking Guides help you and your staff make accurate, on-the-spot verification of driver’s licenses and ID cards – your best protection against ID fraud. These books also help ensure you are kept updated on the latest versions of all ID formats. |
Potential Changes Coming to Cannabis Excise Stamps
The federal government’s 2024 Fall Economic Statement (FES) outlined plans to cut red tape and modernize regulations for emerging sectors. As a part of these plans, the FES announced government’s “intent to explore a transition from cannabis excise duty stamps specific to each province and territory to a single, national stamp.”
Further details will be revealed in Budget 2025.
While this change may not address the most pressing issues for Canadian cannabis producers, ABLE BC recognizes it is a step in the right direction.
A single, national stamp could streamline administrative burdens associated with cannabis excise taxes, save cannabis producers time and money, and create new business opportunities in other provinces. This kind of simplification does have a positive impact on a producer’s bottom line.
ABLE BC applauds the federal government’s efforts to streamline the cannabis excise tax structure. We also acknowledge that reducing excise rates, which we pushed for last year, is needed to improve producer cashflow and the overall financial health of the industry. We will continue to work with government partners on cost-saving and streamlining measures throughout 2025 and look forward to sharing further updates as they are available. |
Weeds International Inc. Granted a PRS Licence
Congratulations to ABLE BC Member Weeds International Inc. on receiving their Producer Retail Store (PRS) licence for their micro-cultivation site in Pitt Meadows! This marks the third PRS licence in BC.
“Before the holiday break, I visited the Weeds team,” says Bo Chen, ABLE BC’s Head of Cannabis Memberhsip. “We spoke at length about industry’s history and future. It was clear that their passion for cannabis tourism, quality products, and hospitality in outdoor consumption spaces are the business’ driving factors, and I’m excited to see how they venture into new markets and revenue.” Weeds is currently waiting on the City of Pitt Meadows to issue a municipal business licence and plans to open its PRS in early 2025. |
Bo Chen with Carol Gwilt and Don Briere |
Recap of the 2025 Canna Winter Clothing Drive
ABLE BC was a proud sponsor of the 2024 Canna Winter Clothing Drive and we’re thrilled to report the initiative was a great success! A record-breaking 93 cannabis retailers from across the province participated in donating warm clothing to those in need.
Thank you to the many volunteers, retailers, brands, and sponsors who made this initiative a success! |
Remo, Nameer, and Dylan: Canna Winter Clothing Drive organizers |
Ask an Expert: Union Decertification
Ryan Anderson, ABLE BC’s employment law expert and Partner at Mathews Dinsdale, continued his Ask An Expert series in our Liquor Industry Update newsletter last month with an exploration of the decertification process. We’re including a shortened version of the article here. Log in to the Member Portal or click here to read the full article.
Decertification is the process of removing a union from a workplace. Decertification cancels the union’s representation rights and, if there is a collective agreement, it will be cancelled. Typically, when a majority of all unionized employees no longer wish to be represented by a union, they will apply for a “full decertification.” If there are multiple locations that are all part of the same bargaining unit, then a majority of unionized employees at all of the locations must apply for full decertification at the same time. If only certain employees at one location in a multi-location bargaining unit wish to become non-union, then they could apply for a “partial decertification.” Applications for partial decertification trigger additional considerations and are often more difficult, though not impossible, to achieve.
Discussions about decertification can be delicate and need to be carefully coordinated. There are ways to engage with your employees to lawfully ensure they have access to the resources they need to exercise their rights. A keen understanding of the legal landscape in this area is required. That’s where the team at Mathews Dinsdale comes in.
Reach out to Ryan Anderson at 604-638-2042 or randerson@mathewsdinsdale.com if you have any questions about unionization. |
go2HR on Tap:
Enhancing HR with Technology
go2HR is a regular contributor to the ABLE BC Cannabis Industry Update newsletter, providing tips and guidance on current HR trends, new legislation, employee recruitment and retention, and more. To read the latest instalment, sign in to the member portal or sign up for the newsletter.
First, some housekeeping – I’m not a robot. More specifically, I’m not Generative AI.
Second, if you feel mixed emotions about bringing new HR technology into the workplace, you’re not alone. From team communication platforms to “AI in the workplace” policies, choosing the right tech is all about finding tools that create positive change across the operational, financial, and human aspects of your business.
Third, we’re not AI experts. However, if you’re curious about it, there are groups that are. Check out Junction Creative Solutions and the Tourism AI Network. Both are trusted experts with fascinating insights from their direct work with tourism and hospitality clients across the province.
There are several useful HR applications of existing and emerging technologies that ABLE BC members might consider if they haven’t already. For example, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) help businesses manage candidate applications. These systems are particularly effective when paired with Boolean-searchable candidate databases, allowing employers to find and engage “passive” candidates. (Tip: Many candidate databases are already available to employers with paid job postings on platforms like Indeed or LinkedIn.)
Meanwhile, transcription tools like Otter.ai make it easy to capture audio content from virtual meetings. These tools can also generate session summaries and assign action items to participants. This is a huge time-saver, freeing up note-takers and simplifying meeting management. If you haven’t tried generative AI tools like ChatGPT, platforms like meta.ai are a great place to experiment. Visual content generation, for example, is a common first step for testing AI capabilities—and understanding its limitations. When it comes to your team, think “enhancement” over “replacement.” The right technology can free workers to focus on meaningful tasks to both them and your business, improving retention and job satisfaction.
go2HR’s team of Regional HR Consultants offers no-cost guidance to BC’s tourism and hospitality employers. They can help you explore workplace innovations, including technology and AI tools, to build strong workforces and create safe workplaces—delivering world-class tourism experiences across the province.
go2HR, the HR and health and safety association for the BC Tourism and Hospitality Industry, has a wealth of free resources to support cannabis retailers. We invite you to connect with us to learn more about how you can support your employees at hr@go2HR.ca.
|
Member Spotlight: Sun Coast Cannabis Shoppe |
Sun Coast Cannabis Shoppe cultivates a welcoming atmosphere and West Coast vibe with local art, a vibrant colour-coded system, and passionate staff. Sun Coast joined ABLE BC to take advantage of education opportunities, to stay informed on the latest cannabis industry news, and to support our important advocacy work. We’re grateful to members like Sun Coast who contribute to the ABLE BC cannabis community! |
Out and About with ABLE BC
The ABLE BC team is back in action after taking a short break over the holiday season. We’re refreshed and ready to tackle the cannabis issues that matter most to you!
Contact bo@ablebc.ca if you’d like to learn more about our 2025 cannabis advocacy plans or about signing up for an ABLE BC cannabis membership. |
|
|
Jesse Sidhu at Mainland Whisky |
| Tristan (Greenline) and Bo Chen |
|
|
Bo Chen, Toor family (Mission Cannabis), and Jesse Sidhu |
Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinars
Check out these upcoming events: - Growing Relationships, Mission, February 10, 2025
-
SPARK: BC Liquor & Cannabis Conference, Vancouver, March 5, 2025
- BC Tourism Industry Conference, Vancouver, March 5-7, 2025
- WORTH Leadership Summit, Vancouver, March 11, 2025
- BCHA Summit, Vancouver, April 22-23, 2025
|
Help Our Cannabis Advocacy! Join ABLE BC! Do you own a cannabis retail store? Sign up now for an ABLE BC Cannabis Membership to support the work we do on your behalf.
As ABLE BC works to support BC’s cannabis retailers, we meet regularly with various officials at the LDB, LCRB, and with elected officials in the federal, provincial, and municipal government. With your support, we are making meaningful headway amending regulations and policies that support industry growth.
ABLE BC Cannabis Members have access to several benefit programs that offer exclusive discounts and are designed to help your business thrive. In addition to our benefit programs, we offer expert advice, regular webinars, and many networking opportunities.
|
|
|
|
