Quebec wants 144 tonnes of cannabis

According to the CEO of Hydropothecary, one of Quebec's leading producers of legal medical cannabis, the province estimates its needs 144 metric tons of cannabis once legalization takes effect next July.

«I met with the Quebec government a few weeks ago,» explains Sebastian St. Louis, CEO of Hydropothecary. «The parliamentary committee on cannabis legalization and the government expressed concerns about the legal cannabis industry’s ability to supply high-quality cannabis to Quebecers. In response to that, their request for Quebec alone was 144 metric tons.».

«That is why, in response, Hydropothecary has stepped up to the plate and committed to producing 108 metric tons of cannabis for Quebec and making it a priority.».

The cannabis production company has acquired a plot of land covering more than 30 hectares adjacent to its first 25-hectare facility in Gatineau, north of Ottawa. A 10-hectare greenhouse will be built on this new site by December 2018, at an estimated cost of 52 million euros.

Sebastian St. Louis also let slip that Quebec was working on a per-gram price for cannabis that would be lower than the national average of 10$, hoping to set the price per gram at between 7 and 8$.

«I think Quebec has really set itself apart and been a true leader in this area—it has realized that price will be the key to driving consumers away from the black market,» he explains. «So they’ve set a target price of between 7 and 8 dollars per gram, which is enough to start throwing a wrench in the black market’s works.»

Last month, the Quebec has announced its future framework for cannabis regulation, the strictest in the country, with a provincial monopoly on cannabis sales, a zero-tolerance policy for driving under the influence of cannabis, and a complete ban on growing cannabis at home.