Cannabis Industry Seeks Government Support for Exports

As Canada sets its sights on doubling non-US exports over the next decade, one sector believes it's being overlooked, despite already contributing hundreds of millions of dollars abroad.

Canada's cannabis industry, once hailed as a global pioneer, is now calling for federal and provincial governments to recognize its growing export footprint and provide the same level of support granted to other regulated industries.

At the centre of the call is a simple proposition: Canada already has the infrastructure, expertise, and global reputation to dominate the medical cannabis trade, but the absence of coordinated government assistance is eroding its early-mover advantage.

Paul McCarthy, President of the Cannabis Council of Canada, says that requests from industry are clear.

"Simplify and expedite Health Canada's export-permit process for medical cannabis and derivative products [and also] include cannabis in federal export programs (e.g., Global Affairs Canada trade missions, CanExport) and provincial export strategies," he said.

Beyond trade logistics, McCarthy highlighted the need for international regulatory cooperation and access to government-backed financing. "[We need to] establish mutual recognition agreements with importing countries to reduce duplicative testing and documentation. This is a tall order but should be undertaken, nonetheless."

Copyright

©420 Intel