Michael Armstrong, Associate Professor of Operations Research in Brock’s Goodman School of Business, wrote a piece recently published in the Globe and Mail about conflicting information being provided about Canada’s cannabis supply.

Armstrong writes:

Federal-provincial feuding over cannabis reignited last week. Ontario Finance Minister Vic Fedeli complained of national product shortages. Meanwhile, federal Border Security Minister Bill Blair stood by his claim cannabis supplies are sufficient. In reality, Ottawa’s own data support Mr. Fedeli. But they also show supplies are finally improving.

Ontario is clearly short of cannabis, despite being six months into legalization. That’s why it’s initially licensing only 25 stores. And why it’s promising each one just 25 kilograms of product weekly.

Ontario’s shortage isn’t unique. Statistics Canada data show only one-fifth of national cannabis spending is legal. Even Canada Border Services Agency reportedly blames shortages for encouraging illegal imports.

Despite all that, Health Canada denies any national shortage. It instead tweets about increasing cannabis inventories and producer sites.
 
Mr. Blair’s stand as lead minister for Cannabis Act implementation is similar. On April 10, his office again insisted cannabis supplies “exceed existing demand.”

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