May 9, 2024 (TORONTO) — Today, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) announced improvements to the way it supports Licensed Producer-operated retail stores, commonly referred to as “Farmgate Stores.” Under Ontario’s legal cannabis framework, federally Licensed Producers are eligible to operate a single Authorized Retail Store at a production facility located in Ontario. Today’s announcement is meant to create new opportunities for Farmgate Stores. In late spring, the OCS will create pathways for Licensed Producers to offer cannabis products that are exclusive to Farmgate Stores, helping to position ..read more

April 26, 2024 (TORONTO) — Today, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) published its inaugural Good All Around Social Impact Report to recap the progress it has made under its first Social Responsibility Strategy from 2021 to the end of 2023. The Social Impact Report summarizes the OCS’s strategic social responsibility objectives and illustrates how the organization is driving positive change in the areas of environmental sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and cannabis literacy. Highlights from the OCS’s first three years of social responsibility programming include: D ..read more

November 28, 2023 (TORONTO) – Building on its commitment to prioritize social responsibility as it enables Canada’s largest and most vibrant cannabis marketplace, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) announced today the first partner projects selected to receive funding as part of its inaugural Social Impact Fund (the Fund). This year’s recipients are: Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation The Cannabis Social Equity and Equality Development (S.E.E.D.) Initiative Princess Margaret Cancer Centre University of Calgary Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy McMaster University The Fund, first introdu ..read more

October 3, 2023 (Toronto) – Today, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) launched its educational campaign, Trailblazers, driving awareness about the benefits of purchasing cannabis from Ontario’s legal marketplace versus unregulated products in the illegal market.  Featuring licensed producers and authorized retailers, the campaign celebrates the passion of some of the people – growers, entrepreneurs, and retailers – bringing innovative, carefully curated product offerings and great customer experiences to the legal marketplace. When purchasing cannabis through Ontario’s authorized stores, ad ..read more

September 14, 2023 (TORONTO) – The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) announced today the launch of its new social impact platform, Good All Around. Visitors of OCS.ca/GoodAllAround will find OCS’s social responsibility content in one convenient location. It connects Ontarians to the benefits and contributions of the legal cannabis framework through investments in socially responsible initiatives, innovative community partnerships and open access to fact-based, educational information.   Good All Around is informed by three pillars of social responsibility: sustainability, inclusion and knowle ..read more

July 10, 2023 (TORONTO) – New OCS public education campaign clears up confusion and encourages Ontarians to make informed decisions about cannabis Today, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) launched a multi-channel awareness campaign aimed at expanding cannabis literacy among Ontarians through the Cannabis Made Clear online education hub. Cannabis Made Clear provides easy access to unbiased, fact-based and current resources to support cannabis consumers and canna-curious Ontarians in making informed, responsible choices about cannabis. Throughout the summer and again towards the end of 2023, Onta ..read more

March 25, 2023 (TORONTO) – Today the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) announced the launch of its Social Impact Fund (the Fund) to promote social responsibility in connection with cannabis through the funding of community projects and research. The OCS invites incorporated not-for-profits, registered charitable organizations and research teams affiliated with academic or research institutions to apply for funding, which can range from $25,000 to $100,000 for projects that are eight to 12 months in length. The OCS has earmarked up to $500,000 for this pilot year, and the application window will rem ..read more

Au nom de David Lobo, Président et chef de la direction, Société ontarienne du cannabis (OCS) 19 avril 2023 (à Toronto) – Aujourd’hui, la question d’autoriser ou de ne pas autoriser les magasins de vente au détail de cannabis légaux a été de nouveau soulevée devant le Conseil à Mississauga, à la suite de quoi les élus ont répondu « oui » dans le but de favoriser la croissance sur le marché du cannabis légal, qui repose sur la sélection, le service et la qualité. L’OCS soutient cette décision, qui fournira aux résidents de la troisième plus grande ville de l’Ontario un accès ..read more

On behalf of David Lobo, President & CEO, Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS)  April 19, 2023 (TORONTO) – Today, the choice to opt in or out of legal cannabis retail stores returned to the Council floor in Mississauga, where elected officials said “yes” to enabling growth in the legal cannabis marketplace rooted in selection, service and quality. The OCS supports this decision, which will provide residents of Ontario’s third-largest city with legal access to tested, traceable, safer cannabis products, while displacing the illegal market.   This marks a major step forward as the can ..read more

February 16, 2023 (TORONTO) – The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) announced today its plans to transition to a fixed mark-up pricing model, along with reductions in its margins, to help enable a vibrant cannabis marketplace. After completing a detailed review of its pricing structure, the OCS will move to a fixed mark-up pricing model that will create greater transparency and consistency for licensed producers. Reduced margin levels are expected to help enable a vibrant marketplace so that it is better positioned to compete with illegal operators.  With this change, it is estimated that OCS ..read more