Growers Network is hosting an Ask Me Anything event with @bryan.eden a regular contributor and aspiring Canadian farmer on Wednesday, June 13, 2018 at 11 am MST.
You’re welcome to start posting questions now for @bryan.eden and we look forward to seeing the community at the AMA!
I am very much looking forward to this!
Let’s have some fun!
Hey Bryan!
Wanted to ask about the process of getting licensed in Canada! How does it work if you’re a smaller farmer?
This is a very simple question that does not have a very simple answer.
FIrst and foremost, just like with any business venture be sure to do your due diligence on the process. The application process is extensive and can take a long time. Up to a year or more from what I have been told. That creates a large risk and the requirement to do a true “leap of faith” to get into the business. Make sure to consult a lawyer before you apply! The number one reason for rejections is incomplete applications and its only clogging up the system. Because of the complexity, and my very minimal knowledge in completing these applications, we have opted for hiring a lawyer to complete our application. This will ensure completeness and the fastest way to get in line, as well as lessens our chance of rejection, our greatest liability.
As for the difference for Mico-Cultivation licenses, overall the process is the same as far as I know. But the requirements IN the application can vary.
This link is a great reference to the basic’s of the requirements for each level of licencing -
Going forward though, anybody who is looking to apply to become a Canadian Licensed Producer should know that it is not an easy process, but it’s not impossible. With the passing of Bill C-45 through the senate last week, there were many amendments added. One of them was a restriction on our already ridiculously restricted ability to market our brands, they said we can brand on clothing etc. At the end of the day, this is what the people of Canada have asked for and I respect that. The laws will change and become more liberal over time only to our industry’s benefit.
I hope this answers what you were asking.
It should be important to note as well that applications that were submitted before legalisation are being grandfathered in and the order that they are completing them hasn’t changed.
Hi Bryan – From your vantage point, how might Canadian provinces lead the way in terms of cannabis business zoning regulations? Do you have examples of zoning regs that will work? And zoning regs that you think won’t work very well? I ask, also, in terms of what lessons U.S. regulators might draw in the future…
You’re only as good as your lawyers and accountants in this business, eh?
This is a great question and a field that I have some experience in at this point.
I live in a small town called WIlliams Lake, BC, a population of just over 10,000.
Over the winter, our city council unanimously voted towards being a “pro-cannabis business community”. Before this, my dream of being a Farm owner was only an idea. After hearing this news I got in contact with my partner and we agreed this was a good point to move forward.
I spent the next several month communicating with Aldermans on the council developing a relationship to try and let them know what we needed as a company and what they required as a municipality. I also spent that time working closely with a Realtor who believed in our ventures.
Fast forward to a couple of week ago. The city hosted an open house where the public where able to voice concerns about their proposed bylaw changes.
I was able to get these plans before hand to study and I found out very quickly that our government has no idea what they’re doing! Yes they changed the bylaws to welcome Cannabis Farmers and Retailers alike, but they were so restrictive that it became impossible for us. In the allocated area there were only two available properties, one is 5-6x over my budget, the other isn’t suitable for many reasons, including the geography.
I was the first person to speak to the city and I spoke about all of their missed points, including how they’re going to miss out on tourism possibilities, outside investments, and population growth. The entire time I was speaking they looked at me with dumbfounded looks upon their faces.
It became very clear to me very quickly that the people who are in charge of making these laws are in serious need of education.
That being said it’s hard to say if there are any good examples to show you for zoning regs that work. As far as I know, most LP’s that are up and running now had to get individual agreement and re-zoning permits to build their farms, and that just might be the route we have to go as well. So to ease our process, we looked at areas throughout the country and have found a strong concentration of LP’s within an area and we feel this is going to be our best bet to also get the zones to where we need them.
As for how Canadians can lead the way, I think we can take a good example from CO when they first legalized Recreational Cannabis. I think it’s fair to say that a lot of the progress this industry has made is a direct result of their initiative. They just got up and did it. But it didn’t come without it’s shortfalls. Through trial and error, they now have a flourishing industry. I think true pioneering processes like that are going to be the key for success for Canada, and other governments that follow suit.
What I think is unique about Canada is that we have a true free market unlike Uruguay, and that is it a true Federal level market, unlike the US. While the zoning issue is still somewhat of an issue, provinces have recognised that they must change their zoning laws in order to accommodate. Does that mean that they are going to change them in a way that is actually going to work? It’s hard to say.
I think the biggest lesson here is that we as an industry need to work as closely with our governments as possible to educate them about our unique needs to operate and to come to a common grounds of agreement that works for all parties.
Yup! Know what you know, and know what you don’t know!
So 11 am is upon us and it looks like we have robust conversation brewing already! Let’s open the AMA up and get this party started! Load up those questions and fire away!
What is your favorite part of being a grower in Canada?
Firstly, a big thank you to Bryan for taking the time to answers some Q’s today!
In seems like provinces in Canada are accommodating the new regulations set forth at the National level. Zoning aside, what impact do you think these new regulations will have at the local level? How will legalization affect your community directly?
I received this question last night -
Faezeh, you bring up some great questions! These are questions that I had myself before I joined GNet!
I think it’s important to remember that no two farms are alike. Each one is going to have it’s own individualistic needs depending on how the Grower or the Owner decides how to operate as a whole. While I have made decisions for my own company, I cannot give you an exact recommendation for your farm. What you need could be completely different from what I do.
What I would suggest, would be to spend as much time on GNet as possible. Ask all sorts of questions and read as many threads as possible. That’s what I did and I am very confident in my concept as a whole because of it and have felt validated many times.
Here is a great thread about CO2 levels -
Does anybody in the GNet community have any recommendations for Faezeh?
Can you talk about your growing style.
Where do I start!?
I think that my favourite part is the fact that this is a true moment in history. No country in the world has legalized to this level before. And that gives us a great opportunity to set a worldwide example. Is it going to be easy? Not even close. But that the great thing about it, we are able to make it easier for future generations to live the life Human Beings should, happily.
We are able to set the ground work for future generations to be able to get into a business they otherwise wouldn’t able to. We are able to take those difficulties and “take the hit” and improve on the industry to where it’s as normal to our kids like alcohol is to us.
President Trump DAYS after Bill C-45 passed through the senate here said that he would consider legalisation in the south (thanks to a well timed proposal in my very personal opinion). And during the G7 summit the WHO said that Cannabis “isn’t that bad”, again just days after C-45. What glorious worldwide progress! All within the last 30 days and all thanks to the effort of Canada. Never again in our lifetime will we ever see such political reform in the western world, at least not one that is so important to me.
These, and for so many more reasons Nick, am I so very excited to start my ventures in this incredible industry.
Can you run us through your diverse array of cultivation equipment and processes for propagation all the way through harvesting?
In your opinion, what does the future of Canadian cannabis cultivation look like in 2, 5 and 10 years from now?
I think you’re correct: Canada very will lead the way to total social and cultural acceptance of cannabis. The rest of the world will live by Canada’s example!
It must be nice to have your country set a good example on the World Stage and lead the way in common sense reform efforts!
To tie on to Nick’s question: what impact do you think legalization will have on the wholesale and retail price of cannabis in Canada?
What do you predict prices to be like in 2, 5, and 10 years from now?
Thanks for giving me this opportunity!
I think there will be a significant positive impact on communities as a whole. To be specific to my community though, I think there will be both positive and negative consequences. First, I think that the companies that will set up here will bring employment to a dying logging town in a time when it needs it the most. There could be great opportunities for tourism with farm tours etc, but like I said before, they’re being so restrictive that a lot of companies will just move on to another city that will be more accommodating like we have decided to do.
They claim to be “pro-cannabis business” and yet they still raid to local medical dispensary (where my fiancee works) trying to shut them down. Granted the dispensary is operating in the famous Canadian “grey area”, but the owner (who is a dear friend of mine) has developed a level of trust with the people of this town that cannot be broken. He was the first retailer in town and has helped countless people in the many ways we all know Cannabis can help and there has been nothing but support from the people.
So the question became, how can I trust their “pro” opinion when they still show prejudice against the industry now? Should I expect the same prejudice with my completely legal farm? That’s not a liability i’m willing to take on.
For the communities that are willing to truly embrace this industry there comes a great amount of opportunity. Jobs, taxations, investment, tourism, economic development as a whole. What negative is there really?
However, the stigma still stands strong and that is a fight that is going to last a long time for all of us. As long as we work with our local communities we can develop a plan that can be beneficial to everybody.
