Thanks for making Growing Relationships Calgary a success!
As a sponsor, we’d like to thank everyone who made Growing Relationships Calgary a success.
Hosted by Stratcann, your premier cannabis news and events platform for industry professionals, this one-day event was held Monday May 6, 2024 at the Calgary Marriott Hotel.
Growing Relationships brought together Alberta’s community of small-batch and micro producers, retailers and other cannabis professionals.
StratCann is capturing the notes and providing a summary to the relevant regulators to share what is happening with those who have their feet on the ground.
We hope you enjoyed this event as much as we did. Thanks again to attendees, vendors and organizers for a great day in Calgary.
For more information visit: https://stratcann.com/growing-relationships/
Only Four Days until Growing Relationships Calgary: May 6, 2024
We’re on our way to Calgary for Growing Relationships next Monday.
Stratcann is bringing this one-day event back to Alberta’s community of small-batch and micro producers, retailers and other professionals in the cannabis industry.
Specifically designed to deliver opportunities to build relationships and socialize with the community, this event brings retailers and producers together for a day of networking, brainstorming, discussion and learning.
AirMed is a proud sponsor of this industry event where attendees will enjoy networking opportunities, engaging panel discussions, a delicious catered lunch, and exclusive access to the Sunalta patio at the Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel.
We hope to see you there!
For more information visit: https://stratcann.com/growing-relationships/
Data collection made easy with AirMed e-form designer
For many compliance-based businesses, forms are unavoidable. Even with the most comprehensive software, forms are sometimes necessary for collection and verification of data.
While many software vendors offer electronic form functionality, in most cases the information contained in those forms is not stored in the database. This means relying on PDFs or printed documents to access the data contained in the form.
Our built-in form designer lets you create custom electronic forms that integrate with AirMed’s system data-sources. All fields in electronic forms created using the form designer can be stored in the AirMed database. There is no need to refer to physical documents or PDFs.
Using AirMed, you can automate workflows using custom e-forms to prevent the need for paper-based documentation. Forms can be linked to processes such as plant scouting, nutrient checks, room sanitation, and shop floor data collection. Using our form designer, you can employ drop-down picklists, date & time, checkboxes, radio groups, custom fields and more. AirMed lets you apply auto-complete, file upload, hidden input and electronic signatures to your forms.
All the data is electronically accessible and even reportable.
Form data collection doesn’t get any easier than that.
For more information visit our AirMed 5 page.
Grow Up Toronto 2024 Conference: May 27-29
Billed as Canada’s #1 cannabis event, the Grow Up Toronto Conference & Expo is a true B2B cannabis event bringing together growers, retailers and suppliers for three days from May 27 to 29.
Grow Up’s Brands and Buyers zone makes its debut in Toronto this year. Brands have the opportunity to promote their latest products to retail buyers and provide samples to qualified cannabis workers.
At the expo, purchasers from the largest retail stores across Canada will converge for two days looking to place orders from the hottest brands from Standard, Micro and Craft processors.
From the latest in technology to workshops with the brightest minds in the industry, combined with the opportunity to sell your brands, Grow Up Conference and Expo is truly an all-in-one stop event for the whole team.
Grow Up is more than just a conference and tradeshow; it’s a pivotal platform dedicated to shaping the future of cannabis in Canada, building strong, long-lasting relationships within the industry.
For more information visit: https://growupconference.com/
Cannabis Consumption in Canada
Stats Canada published an article on April 19, 2024 that discusses various aspects of cannabis in Canada including production, sales, consumption, crime and even wastewater. The article combines government statistics with information from Canadian consumers.
The government agency reported that more than one in three Canadians adults are using cannabis. “In 2023, more than one-third of adults aged 18 to 24 years (38.4%) and 25 to 44 years (34.5%) reported using cannabis in the previous 12 months, compared with 15.5% of adults aged 45 years and older. About 1 in 10 adults aged 18 to 24 years (8.7%) and 25 to 44 years (10.3%) reported using cannabis daily or almost daily in the previous 12 months, compared with 4.8% of adults aged 45 and older.”
In a surprising statistic, the article also reports that out of every five dollars spent on legal cannabis, two dollars went straight into government coffers.
“Federal and provincial governments received $1.9 billion from the control and sale of recreational cannabis in 2022/2023, up by almost one-quarter (+24.2%) from a year earlier.”
To read the full article, visit Statistics Canada:
https://www.statcan.gc.ca/o1/en/plus/6091-cannabis-consumption-canada
Thanks for Making Craft Cannabis Summit a Success!
The BC Cannabis Summit was a success!
Held April 19-21 in Prince George, BC on the traditional territory of Lheidli T’enneh First Nation, this event brought together craft cannabis farmers, processors, independent retailers, Indigenous organizations, government officials, and other sector leaders.
Hundreds participated in this three-day summit that put a spotlight on one of BC’s best-kept cannabis secrets.
In conjunction, the BC Craft Farmers’ Co-op hosted a 4/20 street party on Saturday with 30 vendors and hundreds of members of the public in attendance. This +19 event was the first cannabis-related street closure ever in British Columbia.
AirMed was proud to participate in the summit in Prince George. We’d like to thank everyone who dropped by our booth and especially those who took the time to watch a free demonstration of AirMed software. We appreciate you taking the time to learn about our latest cannabis management innovations.
If you missed seeing a demo or want to see more, click the Request Demo button at the top of the page.
In the meantime, visit our software page: https://airmedcloud.com/airmed-5-intro-new/
For more information about the event visit: https://www.bccraftfarmerscoop.com/2024-bc-craft-farmers-cannabis-summit/
If you missed seeing a demo or want to see more, click the Request Demo button at the top of the page.
In the meantime, visit our software page: https://airmedcloud.com/airmed-5-intro-new/
For more information about the event visit: https://www.bccraftfarmerscoop.com/2024-bc-craft-farmers-cannabis-summit/
To read about the 4/20 cannabis street fair in Prince George, click one of the links below.
High praise for Canada’s first official cannabis street party
Province’s first ever 420 street closure sees huge success in Prince George
Just two days until the Craft Cannabis Summit in Prince George
In just two days, the BC Craft Farmers Co-Op (BCCFC) will hold the 2024 BC Craft Farmers Cannabis Summit in Prince George, BC on the traditional territory of Lheidli T’enneh First Nation.
BC craft cannabis farmers, processors, independent retailers, Indigenous organizations, government officials, and other sector leaders are invited to participate in this three-day summit that will put a spotlight on one of BC’s best-kept cannabis secrets.
While attending the summit, drop by our booth for a free demonstration of AirMed software. We can’t wait to show you our latest software innovations.
For more information visit: https://www.bccraftfarmerscoop.com/2024-bc-craft-farmers-cannabis-summit/
AirMed to Sponsor Growing Relationships Calgary: May 6, 2024
StratCann’s Growing Relationships is back in Calgary this May, and AirMed is a proud sponsor!
Stratcann is passionate about bringing growers, processors, and retailers together to get to know each other and share ideas. Following the success of the sold-out 2023 Growing Relationship series, Stratcann is hosting this one-day event for Alberta’s community of small-batch and micro producers, retailers and other professionals in the cannabis industry.
An important component of the Growing Relationships events is to engage the community in discussion and brainstorming on industry issues from a variety of perspectives.
Attendees will be presented with networking opportunities, engaging panel discussions, a delicious catered lunch, and exclusive access to the Sunalta patio at the Calgary Marriott Downtown Hotel.
For more information visit: https://stratcann.com/growing-relationships/
Workforce Management in AirMed 5
AirMed simplifies compliance by tracking and logging every action and ensures audit readiness with reports and analytics.
Employees only have access to functions and data that relates to their job responsibilities. System Administrators can only access data through approved computers utilizing a VPN connection.
And AirMed offers licensing by facility size rather than by individual user to encourage producers to configure individual accounts for every worker.
Our system improves quality management by allowing producers to identify gaps in employee knowledge and skills.
To see for yourself what AirMed can do, click the Request Demo button at the top of the page.
For more information visit our Software page.
Business of Cannabis Leadership Summit: April 24 in Toronto
Business of Cannabis: Toronto will bring together influential Canadian business leaders spearheading the industry, key investors and on the ground policy makers to discuss the next 5-years of business in the country and how imminent reform might affect the shape of the market there.
In this leadership summits, Business of Cannabis brings together global players, alongside financial and political figures for half-day laser focused program and high-level networking — to utilise data, insights and knowledge in order to arm businesses to best navigate the next phase of Canadian cannabis.
For more information visit: https://www.cannabistoronto.live/
Visit AirMed at the Craft Cannabis Summit: Apr 19-21 in Prince George
The BC Craft Farmers Co-Op (BCCFC) will be holding the 2024 BC Craft Farmers Cannabis Summit from April 19-21 in Prince George, BC on the traditional territory of Lheidli T’enneh First Nation. BC craft cannabis farmers, processors, independent retailers, Indigenous organizations, government officials, and other sector leaders are invited to participate in a three-day Summit that will put a spotlight on one of BC’s best-kept cannabis secrets.
“In addition to showcasing the diversity of BC’s cannabis sector, the 2024 BC Craft Farmers Cannabis Summit will benefit the local economy and shine a light on how medical cannabis access can safely treat chronic disease and opioid addiction,” said BCCFC Vice President Richard Willems. “We look forward to rolling out the green carpet and safely celebrating cannabis together in Prince George on 4/20/24.”
BCCFC was established in 2020 under the BC Cooperatives Act to help BC’s craft cannabis farmers transition to the legal marketplace, protect BC’s global cannabis brand, and make sure medical and recreation consumers have access to the best quality cannabis in the world.
AirMed is proud to participate in this event, so drop by our booth to see the latest software innovations and learn what enterprise cannabis management can do for you.
For more information visit: https://www.bccraftfarmerscoop.com/2024-bc-craft-farmers-cannabis-summit/
ISO, SCC and the Canadian Cannabis Industry
ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 170 national standards bodies.
Through its members, ISO brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.
In Canada, the ISO is represented by the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). A Crown corporation, SCC was established by an Act of Parliament in 1970 to foster and promote voluntary standardization in Canada. SCC is independent of government in its policies and operations, although it is financed partially by Parliamentary appropriation.
When Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, SCC set about creating standards for the new industry believing that standards are essential for an effectively regulated marijuana market. These standards were considered groundbreaking when published in October of 2022.
ISO IWA-37, “Safety, security and sustainability of cannabis facilities and operations” is available for purchase through ISO in three parts.
Part 1 (ISO IWA 37-1:2022) covers requirements for the safety of cannabis buildings, equipment and oil extraction operations. https://www.iso.org/standard/84023.html
Part 2 (ISO IWA 37-2:2022) covers requirements for the secure handling of cannabis and cannabis products. https://www.iso.org/standard/84024.html
Part 3 (ISO IWA 37-3:2022) covers good production practices (GPP). https://www.iso.org/standard/84025.html
Taken as a whole, these documents provide invaluable direction to legislative bodies and emerging companies and help to create a safe, legal market for adults who use cannabis.
For more information from SCC visit: https://www.scc.ca/en/news-events/news/2022/new-guidance-from-iso-international-workshop-safe-cannabis-production
For more information from ISO visit: https://www.iso.org/en/contents/news/2022/10/standards_safe_legal_cannabis.html
To learn more about how AirMed helps you meet these standards, visit our Compliance page.
If you’d like to learn about our quality management and GPP offerings or discuss your specific needs, please give us a call at 1-877-313-2442 or use one of the contact forms.
AirMed Named Best Cannabis Management Software Company
AirMed has been awarded the title of Best Cannabis Management Software Company by Global Health & Pharma magazine in the Commercial Cannabis Awards for 2023.
“We’re so proud to win this award,” said Justin Hearn, president and CEO of AirMed Canada Systems Inc. “This is the third time we’ve been recognized in GHP’s Commercial Cannabis Awards. But being named Best Cannabis Management Software Company is a true honour.”
The team at GHP wrote that the award “attests to the dedicated efforts of the whole team at AirMed Canada Systems Inc.!”
To determine the results, Global Health & Pharma’s judging panel and research team “consider the commitment, expertise, and innovation shown by nominees through nomination information, voting information, any supporting evidence that you have supplied, along with the results from their own extensive period of fact-checking and research.”
From all of us at AirMed, thank-you GHP for this tribute.
See our award on the GHP website here: https://www.ghp-news.com/winners/airmed-canada-systems-inc-3/
Read about AirMed in a previous awards magazine here: https://www.ghp-news.com/issues/commercial-cannabis-awards-2021/10/
Learn more about the GHP Cannabis Awards here: https://www.ghp-news.com/awards/commercial-cannabis-awards/
If you’d like to learn more about AirMed and why it was given this honour, please visit our software page: AirMed Software
And drop by our Customers page to see how we are helping businesses just like yours: AirMed Customers
Cannexpo 2024: Mar 22-24 in Toronto
For an entire weekend under one roof, CannExpo will be the epicentre for consumer cannabis products, business networking and education. CannExpo will bring together end consumers, industry professionals, and potential newcomers for a rare opportunity to interact with audiences from every category of cannabis.
CannExpo will welcome consumers, industry professionals, retail store owners, budtenders and newcomers to the cannabis space. Attendees will have the opportunity to discover exciting new products, services and technology.
This event will be held at the Enercare Centre (formerly the National Trade Centre) March 22-24, 2024.
For more information visit: https://cannexpo.ca/
Cannabis Industry Makes Predictions for 2024
While there are no guarantees as to what will happen in the cannabis marketplace, media members and industry analysts have been making predictions for 2024.
Investing News Network published both a year-end review and a forecast for the future that covered Canada, the US and global markets. For the projections, INN reached out to experts to learn about the key trends and challenges they expect to see in 2024.
https://investingnews.com/daily/cannabis-investing/cannabis-market-update/
https://investingnews.com/cannabis-forecast/
The Business of Cannabis published a series of articles in December 2023 and January 2024 with projections by industry stakeholders.
For their North American edition, the Business of Cannabis “spoke with a wide roster of industry stakeholders to discuss everything from the anticipated surge of pre-rolls, poised to surpass flower consumption in both Canada and the United States, to legislative reforms and the emergence of new market opportunities, such as cannabinoid therapeutics.”
https://businessofcannabis.com/looking-ahead-whats-in-store-for-cannabis-in-2024-part-1/
https://businessofcannabis.com/looking-ahead-whats-in-store-for-cannabis-in-2024-part-2/
https://businessofcannabis.com/looking-ahead-whats-in-store-for-cannabis-in-2024-part-3/
For the European edition, the Business of Cannabis focused on Germany and the UK.
https://businessofcannabis.com/whats-in-store-for-the-european-cannabis-in-2024-part-1/
https://businessofcannabis.com/whats-in-store-for-the-european-cannabis-in-2024-part-2/
The research firm Brightfield Group published “Six Insights from 2023 for 2024 Success in Canadian Cannabis.” This blog post offers a brief overview of the state of the Canadian cannabis industry plus trends for the future.
https://blog.brightfieldgroup.com/2024-canadian-cannabis-trends
The Green Market Report, which is focused on cannabis industry financial news, published “Cannabis Industry Executives Share Predictions for 2024.” This short article discusses both US and International reforms.
https://www.greenmarketreport.com/cannabis-industry-executives-share-predictions-for-2024/
The International Cannabis Business Conference blog offered up predictions for various markets around the globe in a post titled, “What Will Happen In 2024 Within The Global Cannabis Industry?”
https://ca.internationalcbc.com/what-will-happen-in-2024-within-the-global-cannabis-industry/
Market research company Technavio published a report titled, “US-Cannabis Market by Derivative Type, Product and Geography-Forecast and Analysis 2023-2027.” While focused on the USA, some of trends are likely the same as those that will affect the Canadian market. “The analysts have presented the various facets of the market with a particular focus on identifying the key industry influencers.”
https://www.technavio.com/report/us-cannabis-market-analysis
AirMed Plugin for Your WordPress Website
The AirMed WordPress plugin can pull information from your AirMed account to showcase your brands and products in an online catalog. Content stored in your AirMed database is published directly to your WordPress web pages.
Use the pre-designed theme options in your AirMed plugin settings to determine how your catalog will appear on your website.
View your choices in a visual interface installed on your WordPress dashboard. Save the settings to see the finished result on your web page.
Although the catalog appears on your website, all product details are stored in AirMed. Payments are processed by the merchant solution provider with no card data passing through AirMed. Patient information is encrypted by Canada’s most secure hosting facility. With support for monitored intrusion prevention and monitored firewall, your records have the highest level of protection.
As an AirMed customer, you install a simple plugin onto your WordPress website. The plugin installs a visual interface in your WordPress dashboard.
Then add a snippet of shortcode to the page where you want your catalog to appear. The shortcode pulls directly from your AirMed database, which contains all your products complete with images, descriptions and pricing.
Customers interacting with the product catalog remain on your website throughout the shopping experience rather than being transferred to a portal site.
The WordPress plugin interfaces with our application programming interface (API) to embed information from the AirMed database directly onto your website.
Change the style, format, and position of catalog elements using the plugin settings and see how the elements will appear on your website before committing. When you find the combination you like, save your settings and refresh the web page.
For more information on these new features or to book a demo of AirMed to see them for yourself, click the Request Demo button at the top of the page or use any of the contact forms.
In the meantime visit our Intro to AirMed 5 page.
Report: GS1 Trends 2023/2024
Selling any product, including cannabis, starts with a unique identification number from GS1. The GS1 (Global Standards 1) organization is a neutral, global collaboration platform that brings industry leaders, government, regulators, academia, and associations together to develop standards-based solutions to address the challenges of data exchange.
GS1—which has local Member Organisations in 116 countries, over two million user companies and 10 billion transactions every day—helps ensure that there is a common language of business across the globe. GS1 manages the Global Trade Item Number or GTIN, which identifies companies and their products and services using barcode data.
“Trend Research 2023-2024” is a report published recently by GS1 that discusses the top business trends in the world. Topics include data privacy, supply chain digitalisation, traceability and new technologies.
“A cornerstone of any digital transformation are the concepts that are core to the GS1 system: globally unique identification, a common data language, a commitment to interoperability and a firm belief that business value achieved through data sharing is amplified through the use of standards.”
For more information and to download the report visit:
https://www.gs1.org/resources/articles/trend-research-2023-2024-innovation-world-continuous-disruption
Alberta Loosens Cannabis Regulations
Alberta is changing provincial cannabis regulations to “give retailers more time to focus on their business, while ensuring health, safety, and security remain a top priority.”
The Alberta government made the announcement in December 2023 in a media release titled, “Reducing red tape for cannabis retailers.”
On January 31, 2024, the following improvements to the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Regulation will come into force:
- Licensed cannabis retailers can operate temporary sales locations at adults-only events like trade shows and festivals.
- Cannabis retailers can keep their products in locked display cases when the store is closed rather than moving everything into a secured storage room at the close of every business day.
- Restrictions are removed on sales and transfers between cannabis retailers and to further allow Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis to establish resale markup limits.
Dale Nally, Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, was quoted as saying, “We’ve been looking at the cannabis market to determine what’s working, what needs to be improved, and what’s redundant or unnecessary while protecting public health and safety. These changes are the result of our latest work to help curb the illegal cannabis industry and continue providing choices Albertans can trust.”
Stratcann, one of Canada’s cannabis news platforms, reported, “…a media representative for the AGLC tells StratCann that the ‘policies and processes to support cannabis licensees who are interested in operating temporary sales locations are in development and will be shared with cannabis stakeholders prior to the implementation date.’”
The CBC reported, “In Edmonton and Calgary, city bylaws already allow smoking or vaping cannabis at outdoor festivals and public events, but only in designated areas. And in those cases, selling cannabis on site isn’t allowed… The changes will allow licensed cannabis retailers to set up temporary sales at adults-only events, like trade shows and festivals. They also ease some of the restrictions around how store owners can transfer product between different locations and lift the requirement to store product in a secure area off the shop floor while the store is closed.”
Cannabis in Alberta is regulated by the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) ministry.
To read the Alberta government media release visit: https://www.alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=89500F3BC265B-E9F5-13F7-DA8506A53DD281BE
To read the Stratcann article visit: https://stratcann.com/news/alberta-announces-several-changes-to-retail-cannabis-regulations-through-red-tape-reduction/
To read the CBC article visit: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/alberta-to-allow-cannabis-sales-at-adults-only-events-1.7064117
For more information about cannabis in Alberta visit: https://aglc.ca/
Happy New Year!
Can you believe that 2024 is the 10th year AirMed has been in business? It’s true. We started in 2014!
A lot has happened in our industry during those 10 years, some good and some not-so-good. But we want you to know that we pledge our commitment to continued hard work and innovation, and we see great things on the horizon.
As we look ahead to the coming year, we send best wishes for a future filled with success and abundance to all our industry. Expect 2024 to be a year of new vistas and exciting possibilities for cannabis in Canada. Here’s to moving forward with positivity and purpose.
From everyone at AirMed, Happy New Year!
Season's Greetings
The staff at AirMed would like to wish all our industry the best this holiday season.
And we’d like to take this opportunity to thank all those who supported us this past year. We value the connections we’ve made with clients, future clients and partners as well as with other industry members.
Looking forward to working with you in the future, may this season bring you peace and joy.