Election advocacy, Cannabis Advisory meeting, Global Payments offer, and more --------------------------------------------------------- |
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Cannabis Industry Update: October 9, 2024 |
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Dear ABLE BC cannabis members and industry colleagues,
Here's the latest news for the private cannabis industry: - A Message from Feven Berhane, ABLE BC Cannabis Committee & Advisory Chair
- ABLE BC Election Advocacy 101
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Global Payments Exclusive Offer for ABLE BC Members
- Powell River to Lower Business Licence Fees
- BC Chamber of Commerce Unveils Election Priorities
- 2024 Small Business Week Summit
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Cannabis Consumption at Rifflandia
- Winter Clothing Drive
- go2HR on Tap: Navigating Employee Exits
- Member Spotlight: CottonMouth
- Out and About with ABLE BC
- Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinars
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A Message from Feven Berhane, ABLE BC Cannabis Committee & Advisory Chair
Yesterday was pretty special for ABLE BC’s Cannabis Committee. We held our first in-person meeting in Vancouver and welcomed a few new members to our recently formed Cannabis Advisory group. The committee and advisory are comprised of cannabis retail experts and veterans who help shape ABLE’s policy priorities. This is a dedicated group of industry professionals and ABLE BC members, working together to ensure our industry association is well-resourced and informed so they can continue to be as effective as ever when advocating for our needs.
At this meeting, we discussed progress and strategy on several issues, including key messages for the provincial election, cannabis market controls, Direct Delivery, tackling the illicit market, and more. If you'd like to learn more about what we're working on, please reach out to bo@ablebc.ca.
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Cannabis Committee & Advisory members meeting in Vancouver |
We had a few things to celebrate at this meeting. This month marks Bo Chen’s one-year anniversary as ABLE BC’s Head of Cannabis Membership! Bo has been an excellent leader and advocate who has grown the ABLE BC cannabis membership base and seen several policy wins for our industry. Bo and the ABLE BC team have been impactful and professional at every step, developing positive working relationships with government partners and industry stakeholders that are benefitting private cannabis retailers.
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We also celebrated the milestone of reaching 100 cannabis retail members! Our collective voice grows stronger with each new member, so thank you to everyone who has joined ABLE BC in the past year. Your support makes ABLE BC’s success possible. I look forward to uniting even more cannabis members in the coming months and further strengthening our impact on government.
If you have been thinking about joining ABLE BC’s cannabis membership, now is the time to do it. We’re approaching a pivotal election that will significantly impact our industry. ABLE BC needs your support now more than ever as we work to engage with candidates across the province.
I encourage you to attend tomorrow’s Election Advocacy 101 session (more details below), and to sign up for a membership today. We are stronger when we work together, so join the Alliance now!
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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. |
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ABLE BC Election Advocacy 101
As we approach a pivotal election, the ABLE BC team is ramping up government relations efforts to ensure the voices of BC’s private cannabis and liquor businesses are heard loud and clear.
The outcome of this election could have significant impacts on our industry, and we need to act now to protect and promote the interests of owners like you. You can help our efforts by engaging with your local candidates and sharing key messages to help them understand our industry’s needs. To help you prepare for discussions with candidates, we’ve organized an ABLE BC Election Advocacy 101 session on October 10.
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These sessions give you a chance to learn how you can engage your local candidates and highlight our industry's policy priorities, such as: - Workforce development to address the ongoing labour crisis;
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Stronger enforcement measures against illicit cannabis sales;
- Implementing a minimum provincial distance requirement for cannabis retailers;
- Allowing cannabis retailers to make wholesale purchases with credit cards; and
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Public safety grants to address repair and prevention costs related to crime and vandalism.
Regardless of the election’s outcome, we know the composition of the legislature will change significantly after election day. This is a crucial time to build relationships with key decision-makers and ensure that our industry’s concerns are front and centre.
Questions? Reach out to ABLE BC's Head of Cannabis Membership, Bo Chen, at bo@ablebc.ca.
We have also prepared our 2024 BC Election Toolkit with all the information you need to be an advocate for BC’s private cannabis and liquor industry.
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Global Payments Exclusive Offer for ABLE BC Members |
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Powell River to Lower Business Licence Fees
In March 2024, ABLE BC worked with the City of Powell River and Sun Coast Cannabis Shoppe to reduce business licence fees in Powell River. We are pleased to see positive movement on this at the City of Powell River’s September 12 council meeting, where Council gave the first reading for an amendment to the city’s business licence bylaw to reduce fees for cannabis businesses.
The proposed bylaw would align business licence fees for cannabis retail stores with other retail businesses, with annual licensing fees calculated based on the store’s operational footprint and number of employees. This would reduce annual business licence fees for cannabis retailers from $2000 to $180 or $300. We will provide further updates as they are available. |
BC Chamber of Commerce Unveils Election Priorities
With the provincial election officially underway, the BC Chamber of Commerce has unveiled the top ten policy priorities its members believe are critical for the next Government of British Columbia to action to help create a healthy business environment. The policies reflect the daily challenges local businesses face and what they need – a reduced cost of doing business, improved community safety and housing supply, and improved infrastructure – and provide practical and meaningful solutions.
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2024 Small Business Week Summit
The BC Chamber of Commerce Small Business Week Summit celebrates BC’s small businesses – the backbone of our provincial economy – and provides them with the opportunity to listen, learn and engage directly with subject matter experts and thought leaders on topics that are important to them.
This year’s theme, Cultivating Resilience through Innovation, highlights the importance of empowering businesses to thrive during times of uncertainty and change. As they face unprecedented challenges, businesses need to stay flexible, embrace new realities, adopt innovative, sustainable practices and harness cutting-edge technologies to secure lasting success. Tune in October 21-25 for a thoughtfully curated program of five free webinars that address a variety of topics and equip businesses with the tools needed to excel in today’s dynamic landscape. |
Cannabis Consumption at Rifflandia
In September, Victoria’s Rifflandia music festival included a cannabis consumption space for the second year in a row. Festival goers could order cannabis products from festival partners Seed & Stone and Songhees Cannabis to be delivered to the age-gated consumption lounge. Cannabis sales at events are not permitted in the current regulatory framework. However, an online order and delivery service was a creative way to offer safe, legal cannabis products at Rifflandia. The cannabis lounge was restricted to 19+ attendees, ensuring responsible consumption.
The ABLE BC team is advocating for a regulatory framework to allow cannabis sales at events. We are working with the Liquor and Cannabis Regulation Branch (LCRB) on this issue and are optimistic they will implement a policy that benefits BC’s private cannabis industry. We look forward to providing further details as they are available. |
Seed & Stone and Songhees Cannabis at Rifflandia |
Winter Clothing Drive Give back this holiday season! Join us in collecting new or gently used winter clothing and blankets to donate to those in need. Participating stores will collect donations from November 1 to December 18. Volunteers will pick up the donations and deliver them to Lookout Housing & Health Society. Interested in collecting donations or volunteering? Reach out to Nameer Ramzan at nramzan@highmarkbrands.com to get involved. |
go2HR on Tap: Navigating Employee Exits
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.
Dealing with employee departures can be stressful and challenging for employers, especially in cannabis retail stores, bars, pubs, and liquor retail stores. Whether due to staffing changes or an employee leaving because of a career shift, handling these transitions effectively is crucial to maintaining smooth business operations.
At go2HR, our Regional HR Consultant for the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, Christie Blaquiere, provides insights into managing voluntary resignations and employee terminations, with or without cause. She explores how progressive discipline can address employee misconduct or performance issues leading up to termination and offers practical tips on managing the process. Read her full article on the go2HR website to gain valuable guidance on managing employee departures.
Need Help?
Our HR team is available for free consultations to support you through this challenging time. Connect with us today.
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.
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Member Spotlight: CottonMouth |
CottonMouth is a queer-owned and operated, independent cannabis retail store in Vancouver’s Davie Village. Originally founded in 2006 as a headshop supporting local glass blowers, we became a licensed cannabis retailer in 2020, making us the first CRS in Davie Village. We joined ABLE BC because it’s important for us to be a part of the private cannabis industry’s growth and development. We appreciate the support from ABLE’s team and the work they’re doing to advance the interests of cannabis retailers across the province. We love seeing our customers be happy and proud to shop in a safe, legal space where cannabis consumption isn’t stigmatized or criminalized. |
Out and About with ABLE BC
Bo Chen, ABLE BC's Head of Cannabis Memberships, has attended lots of events in the last few weeks. He's been meeting with members, industry stakeholders, and suppliers to better understand how cannabis retailers are faring in the lead up to the holiday season, and how ABLE BC can better serve our members.
You may have run into Bo at Summer Sesh in Richmond last month, at the Boss Cannabis Port Coquitlam grand opening, or one of several ABLE BC events we've hosted recently: Liquor Industry Meetings in Vancouver and North Vancouver, the first in-person ABLE BC Cannabis Committee & Advisory meeting in Vancouver, and virtual Advocacy 101 sessions where we're helping members prepare for meetings with local MLAs. You still have time to register for the last Advocacy 101 session coming up tomorrow! Click here for more details.
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Pictures from the grand opening of Boss Cannabis's third location in Port Coquitlam |
Jesse Sidhu & Bo Chen (ABLE BC), Jan Stenc & Jennifer Kom-Tong (Copperpenny Distilling), Jeff Guignard (ABLE BC) |
Save the Date: Upcoming Events and Webinars Check out these upcoming events: |
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.
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