British Columbia’s “craft cannabis” industry is calling for the leaders of the province’s three major political parties to commit to an independent review of B.C.’s pot policies.
The B.C. Craft Farmers’ Co-op says its members are struggling to survive in the face of the taxes, fees and red tape imposed on the industry.
The producers say they face an unlevel playing field while trying to compete against the government, which acts as a regulator, a competitor in the retail market and has a monopoly on legal purchasing and distribution.
“When you have a monopoly, it’s hard to let go, even if it’s the right thing to do, because you’re used to having a certain tax base that comes to you and, you know, it’s good,” said Jonathan Fernandez with cannabis company Green Amber Canada.
“But at the same time if you were a little bit more transparent with where that money is going and then, you know, how much of it can come back to the farmers as well as the retailers, and the rest of our industry, it is huge for us.”
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The B.C. government estimates the cannabis sector contributes more than $2 billion to the provincial economy.
October will mark six years since cannabis was legalized in Canada.
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