Cannabis Council of Canada Publishes End Of Year Update & Their Look Forward To 2025

This year marked an important turning point for the Cannabis Council of Canada. With the arrival of our new President, we took time to reflect on how best to represent the evolving needs of our industry. Over the summer, we focused on ensuring the long-term strength of our organization—streamlining operations and aligning our priorities to better serve the sector.

While much of this year’s work has taken place behind the scenes, these efforts have laid the foundation for a reinvigorated approach. As we close 2024, we’re excited to step forward with a renewed presence and purpose in 2025.

Looking Back on 2024

Health Canada Regulatory Package

This summer Health Canada announced proposed amendments to the Cannabis Act, including some changes that will reduce the regulatory burden on LPs. These amendments, set to be implemented by Spring 2025, included the following positive steps:

1. Increase the number of AQAPs permitted, with permission for QAP to delegate activities

2. Remove the requirement for printed consumer information documents with each cannabis product

3. Allow QR codes and peel-back labels on cannabis packaging

4. Remove the requirement to record the quantity, method or rationale for application of substances to cannabis

5. Remove the requirement for an annual report of promotional spending

Stay tuned for more information about what to expect as these changes are implemented. At this moment, Health Canada is projecting that to be in the Spring of 2025.

2024 Canadian Cannabis Leadership Summit

On October 1st, we hosted the Canadian Cannabis Leadership Summit at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Our sessions were focused on bringing our top two issues to government stakeholders, and on providing a forum for discussion around current challenges in the sector. Our panels included:

We were pleased to attract representation from Health Canada, ISED, the Canadian Revenue Agency, Veterans Affairs, Global Affairs, and even had the Minister of Health in attendance, along with leaders from across the cannabis sector.

Fall Economic Statement

In the Fall Economic Statement the government expressed an “intent to explore” moving from a provincial excise stamp to a single national stamp and added that details would be in Budget 2025. While it’s positive to see one of our asks mentioned, this does not reflect the certainty or timing we want to see from the federal government. Switching to a national stamp will have a tangible impact on costs and operational efficiency for LPs and cost the government nothing. We will continue to push for this overdue change and call on the government to accelerate its implementation.

The FES included nothing to address the excise duty framework or support the eradication of the illicit market. We are disappointed to see the government continue to neglect the industry.

In the News

Looking Ahead to 2025

Updated Membership Tiers

Towards a resilient sector

We will continue to advocate for our top two policy issues in the new year, ahead of the 2025 Budget. Our calls to action:

1. The Cannabis Council of Canada again calls on the government to provide relief on the excise tax, currently being paid at a rate of ~34%, well above the intended 10% when the formula was implemented in 2018.

2. The Cannabis Council of Canada also calls on the government to accelerate a move to a single, national excise stamp. A move supported by the entire industry at every point of the supply chain.

The Cannabis Council of Canada further calls on the government to acknowledge the massive problem of a prolific criminal presence in our sector and initiate a comprehensive strategy to eradicate the illicit market, which is the single biggest threat to the public policy objectives of keeping it out of the hands of youth and ensuring a quality assured product for responsible consumers.

Events and Outreach

We look forward to finding opportunities to convene leaders in the cannabis sector, both online and in-person. In addition to regular webinars and member meetings, we are planning to host another in-person summit, the timing of which is still to be determined.

Watch for more updates as we ramp up our communications in the new year.