12-Month Lobbying Summary - In-house Organization

Subject Matters

• Agriculture
• Budget
• Economic Development
• Environment
• Health
• Housing
• Industry
• International Trade
• Justice and Law Enforcement
• Regional Development
• Small Business
• Taxation and Finance

Subject Matter Details

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution

• The Cannabis Act and Excise Act: Revising the application of excise tax on medical cannabis.
• The Cannabis Act: Working to develop proposed amendments to the Legislation using the Statutory Review of the Act that was initiated in the Fall of 2022.

Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution, Policies or Program

• Cannabis Amnesty. The Council is actively engaged in encouraging government officials to take a proactive stance in the elimination/ expungement of Canadians with Criminal records for the posession of Cannabis for personal consumption.
• Excise Tax Framework on Cannabis products was fashioned on a premise of $ 1 in $ 10 as tax whereas in practical reality the tax is far more aggressive than planned, often coming in at or nearly 3 times higher at 30 %. This is severely compressing the financial viability of many licensed producers and processors, while keeping product prices high in comparison to competition in the legacy, illicit marketplace.

Policies or Program

• CRA Excise stamp logistics and placement on adult consumer use cannabis products and co packing supply chain realities that run up against the Excise Tax Act.
• Calling for enhanced inclusion in Government Agency Programs at Business Development Bank (BDC) and Farm Credit Canada (FCC) as well as Export Development Canada (EDC) for the Cannabis Sector.
• Cannabis Economic Development. The cannabis industry is engaging with ISED which has a new mandate to promote economic development activity stemming from the legalization of cannabis and the emergence of a robust eco system across the country.
• Helping to highlight the need for Diversity, Inclusion and Gender strategies within the cannabis sector. We are seeking to gain encouragement from the Government for progress in these areas.
• Regional Economic Development. Seeking to build awareness about the sector and to encourage support from government regional and rural economic development programs.
• Seeking to eliminate the 2.3% regulatory fees charged by Health Canada. Working to improve the service standards for license changes, security clearance, export permits.
• The Cannabis Council is looking to actively engage the Department of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and to gain support for efforts to improve consistency and quality of the value - added agricultural crop cannabis.

Policies or Program, Regulation

• The Cannabis Act: Working to develop an appropriate marketing and branding regime that allows for producers to Differentiate their products through communication with consumers about product attributes.