News

Quick Hits: Cannabis news in brief

Published on May 16, 2025 by Pat Bulmer

Photo: Contributed

Cannabis news in brief: More under the Canopy; Upgrades at Aurora; SNDL is robust; Merger gets cancelled; Big 4/20 fo High Tide; Weed found in minivan; Organigram awarded for exports; cannabis worker roundtable

Vapourizer comes with display screen

Canopy Growth is introducing new products in a number of cannabis categories.

New Tweed and 7Acres branded vapes include built-in display screens that show voltage and battery life.

They come with CCELL technology, Canopy Growth boasts. CCELL is a leading vapourizer supplier.

In the flower category, Tweed is releasing two new high-THC cultivars – Sour Sucker Mints and Blood Orange Kush, both testing above 28% THC. They’re available in seven-gram and 28g packs.

Several new pre-rolls are being introduced under the Tweed, Claybourne and 7Acres labels.

Beverage label Deep Space is re-entering the edibles category with a trio of gummies. Each pack of Sour Pulsar Peach, Sour Strawberry Void and Blue Sourberry contains one 10mg THC gummy and naturally occurring caffeine.

Canopy Growth is headquartered in Smiths Falls, Ont.

Aurora upgrades BC location

Aurora Cannabis has completed a $3-million upgrade to its manufacturing facility in Pemberton, B.C.

The site has been renamed Aurora Alpine, the Edmonton-based company announced.

“Over the last three years, the investments we’ve made into this facility have resulted in doubling the yield and potency, reaching a record 33.7%,” said Alex Miller, executive vice president of operations and supply chain, in a news release.

The former Whistler Medical Marijuana Company site was licensed in 2019. The certified facility will allow the company to expand its global exports, the company said.

Cannabis business ‘robust’ for SNDL

“Robust growth” in its cannabis business helped boost revenues for liquor and cannabis giant SNDL.

“In the first quarter of 2025, net revenue totalled $204.9 million, reflecting a growth rate of 3.6% compared to the same period in the previous year,” the Edmonton-based company said in a financial report. “This increase was primarily driven by robust growth of 16.8% in our combined cannabis business.”

SNDL is both a cannabis grower and retailer.

“Cannabis operations continues to report significant growth in both revenues and profitability during the first quarter of 2025,” the company said. “Same-store sales increased by 5.2% during this period.”

Liquor revenues declined, however.

The company reported a gross profit but also an operating loss and did not include an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) result.

Alberta company cancels merger

Instead of meeting in the boardroom, two Alberta cannabis companies may meet in the courtroom.

Calgary-based CanadaBis Capital (also known as Stigma Grow) says it has terminated an agreement to be bought out by local rival Simply Solventless.

Simply Solventless recently announced it will not able to file its audited annual financial statements by the April 30 deadline — and will release them instead on May 21.

It’s not clear if that’s a reason the deal was terminated.

In a news release, CanadaBis said: “Recent information constitutes a … ‘Material Adverse Change’ under the terms of the Arrangement Agreement and management believes it’s in the best interest of the shareholders and stakeholders of CanadaBis to terminate the Arrangement Agreement.

“As such CanadaBis has communicated with SSC that it does not intend to proceed with the Arrangement at this time.”

Simply Solventless denied wrongdoing.

“SSC categorically denies that there is any SSC Material Adverse Change and is of the opinion that CanadaBis has not validly terminated the Arrangement Agreement.”

“SSC is pursuing all legal remedies against CanadaBis, including payment of a $1.2 million break fee, for the invalid termination of the Arrangement Agreement,” Simply Solventless president and CEO Jeff Swainson said in a news release.

Quick Hits

🪦 Obituary: Jose Mujica, Uruguay’s former leader, rebel icon and cannabis reformer, dead at 89 (Reuters)

🚨 Capital bust: Police shut down illegal cannabis dispensary on Rideau Street in Ottawa (CTV News)

🚔 Indigenous raid: Kamloops Mounties execute search warrants at cannabis stores on Tk’emlups reserve (Castanet)

💦 Fire away: Does cannabis lower sperm quality? Nope! (Science Alert)

High Tide was up on 4/20

The 4/20 long weekend was a big one for cannabis manufacturer and retailer High Tide.

April 17-20 generated $6.8 million in retail sales, the company said. The 4/20 weekend was also the Easter long weekend.

High Tide’s Cabana Club held a $100,000 4/20 giveaway with a club member from Winnipeg taking the cash.

High Tide, which has been taking steps to make itself more takeover-proof, is also offering stock options to employees, consultants and management.

The Calgary-based company recently opened stores in Cochrane, Alta., and Cornwall, Ont. There are now 197 Canna Cabana stores across Canada.

10 containers of weed found in minivan

A 33-year-old Surrey, B.C., man with 33 kilograms of cannabis packed into his minivan was arrested during a routine motor vehicle road check.

Police were conducting road checks on Highway 1 in the Fraser Canyon on the afternoon of April 14.

While speaking to the driver, an officer noted the vehicle was suspiciously full of 10 large storage containers and there was a strong cannabis odour, police said in a news release.

“Under the cannabis regulations, a federal licence is required to possess, store, or transport large quantities of cannabis,” said Insp. Lori Orstad with the BC Highway Patrol. “As the driver could not produce such a licence, he was arrested.”

Police said the man is known to them for similar offences.

Organigram wins export award

Cannabis company Organigram has been named New Brunswick’s large exporter of the year by Opportunities New Brunswick.

Organigram was founded in Moncton and maintains its flagship growing facility there, although head office is now in Toronto.

The winners were selected by a panel of business experts from academia and the private sector.

Organigram won in the category for over $5 million in export sales.

“This honour recognizes Organigram’s significant growth in international cannabis exports … and deep-rooted investment in New Brunswick’s economic future,” Organigram said in a news release.

Organigram exports to Germany, the UK, and Australia.

The Moncton site employs over 725 people, making the company New Brunswick’s fourth-largest private-sector employer and ninth-largest employer overall, Organigram says.

“With real federal engagement and a national cannabis export strategy, we can position Canada to seize a meaningful share of the estimated $140 billion global cannabis market.” said CEO Beena Goldenberg in the release.

Cannabis workers social

Union and non-union budtenders are invited to a cannabis workers’ roundtable and social in Vancouver on June 4.

UFCW 1518 is putting on the event, 4-7 p.m. at the New Amsterdam Cafe on West Hastings.

It’s an opportunity for people in the industry to talk about issues they face and possible solutions, the union says.

There will be food and brand reps on site.

Non-union members will be entered in a draw for free cannabis sommelier training. Bring your Selling it Right certificate to enter.

Union members can win the same prize (worth $420) if they bring a friend from a non-union store.

People working in growing, processing and distribution are welcome too, the union says.

Sign up for a free ticket at ufcw1518.com/grow-your-power/