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AMC partners with MASS Exchange for #Programmatic ad sales #adtech $BTRU.ca $TTD $RUBI $AT.ca $TRMR $FUEL

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:52 PM on Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

 

  • AMC Networks, 4C Insights and VideoAmp have all teamed up with MASS Exchange (MX) to fire up a programmatic advertising capabilities for live linear television.
  • AMC is using MX to handle pricing, inventory management and sales strategies for its ad inventory.
For AMC, the programmatic ad plans arrive after a third quarter in which the company’s ad revenues stayed mostly flat. (AMC Networks).

AMC Networks, 4C Insights and VideoAmp have all teamed up with MASS Exchange (MX) to fire up a programmatic advertising capabilities for live linear television.

AMC is using MX to handle pricing, inventory management and sales strategies for its ad inventory.

“MASS Exchange equips AMC Networks to offer an end-to-end programmatic solution for TV,” said Adam Gaynor, vice president of AMCN Agility, in a statement. “Leveraging their dynamic inventory and pricing management tools to expose more inventory to advertisers, we’re able to offer our partners a new standard of accessibility that improves their ability to execute targeted media plans.”

MX said it will allow AMC Networks to offer specific spot-level inventory, accessible via the buyer’s planning tools or directly through MX’s buyer interface. The company also said it can offer automation by converting traffic logs into an inventory catalog, which is algorithmically priced and packaged according to the seller’s rules.

“The TV industry is going through significant transformation at the intersection of audience targeting, attribution and technology,” said Habib Khoury, CEO of MX, in a statement. “We are very excited to be playing such an important role in helping to reduce friction for content providers and deliver an efficient, automated market that allows smart brands to improve the return on their advertising dollars. With AMC Networks, 4C Insights and VideoAmp, we’re working with established industry leaders to move meaningfully closer to realizing the promise of addressable TV.”

For AMC, the programmatic ad plans arrive after a third quarter in which the company’s ad revenues stayed mostly flat. AMC’s national networks advertising revenues increased 0.9% to $200 million. The increase in advertising revenues principally related to higher pricing partially offset by lower delivery.

Source: https://www.fiercevideo.com/video/amc-partners-mass-exchange-for-programmatic-ad-sales

The world’s #Esports industry is growing at a massive rate, and Hong Kong is ready to catch up $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $TCEHF $Game.ca $EPY.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 11:12 AM on Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

  • If you haven’t noticed by now, the eSports industry is on an exciting growth trajectory that won’t be slowing down anytime soon.
  • Less and less people on the outside looking in are seeing eSports as a niche interest or trend, but a legitimate, lucrative and very, very entertaining sport that could easily eclipse traditional sports given the time.

Chris Singh

If you haven’t noticed by now, the eSports industry is on an exciting growth trajectory that won’t be slowing down anytime soon. Less and less people on the outside looking in are seeing eSports as a niche interest or trend, but a legitimate, lucrative and very, very entertaining sport that could easily eclipse traditional sports given the time. The proliferation of eSports events around the world is certainly helping drive that growth, with even official tourism boards now recognising the potential for eSports to be a major draw for international and domestic visitors. Case in point: the Hong Kong e-Sports and Music Festival.

The three-day event, which was held towards the end of August for it’s second year, took place in Hall 3 of the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and represented a major recognition of the industry by the city of Hong Kong. In fact, it was organised by Hong Kong Tourism Board, with the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (Asia) Limited on board as the event’s major sponsor. As such, the prize pools were also remarkably large for such a young event of this size.

The tense CS:GO Grand Finals saw a record-breaking HK$2 million total prize pool, while the weekend’s highlight, the Hong Kong PUBG World Invitational, saw a pool of over HK$1 million – the largest amount ever in a local PUBG competition.

Throughout the weekend more than 26 eSports teams from around the world, and over 110 players, competed in the tournaments which were complemented by live music and an “Experience Zone” which filled an entire hall with eSports products, playable games, a large amount of VR titles, and a mini-stage hosting various other acts like a CLP x eSports Academy, KOL battles, and performances by local musicians.

With Hong Kong’s local eSports scene now boosted thanks to events like this, we thought it best to catch up with a big-name local to discuss competitive gaming, it’s growth, and what five things are required for someone to make it in this growing industry. That local just happened to be Hong Kong’s first League of Legends world champion, Toyz of professional eSports organization G-Rex and Emperor esports Stars.

Competitive gaming has come so far but there is still a long way to go for eSports, in terms of its popularity and recognition. Where has the major growth been in 2018 and what do you feel is driving this growth?

One of the significant growth factors in 2018 is definitely the legitimization of eSports as one of the demonstration sports in Asian Games, officially drawing the line between games and eSports. Asian Games attracts world-class players from different sports categories and audience from worldwide. Being one of the demonstration sports in Asian Games goes beyond a simple recognition but also drives public attentions towards eSports. Notably, eSports exclusively possessed over 60% of the viewership among all the sports in Asian Games; it shows the trend of future competitive entertainment and the growing mass public’s interest in eSports. From my perspective, this milestone is a recognition of youngsters’ interest and the penetration of eSports compared to traditional sports.

What is Hong Kong’s eSports scene like now? Is there any difference between the scene in Hong Kong and other Asian cities?

I think HK’s eSports is lagging behind compared to regions nearby. Even though we see HK officials are making more investment in eSports including EMF and a budget of $100M HKD for local eSports development; HK eSports has not yet been well recognized globally. One of the ways to truly accelerate HK’s eSports growth is to build an international eSports brand to compete in international matches and win international titles to acquire recognition on a global scale, and shape a better career path for eSports players as well as eSports related workers in HK.

What are five things you feel are necessary for someone to get into, and succeed in, the world of eSports?

Passion, persistence, talent, diligence, and high team spirit

How do you define your teams play style and what aspects of the play style remain consistent across games?

Our League of Legends team is more on defensive style with a late-game strategy. G-rex is strong in team fight and we keep this style as one of our signature.

Prize pools are getting bigger, like EMF in August, and there are now more new eSports events happening around the world. What do you feel will be the major trends in eSports in 2019? What would you like to see happen for the industry?

I think we can see more eSports stars in the market. We now see more eSports related entertainment supplementary to the traditional entertainment industry, and it’s great to see to see more and more big corporates join the market and help build a better and more supportive ecosystem for eSports in the future.

For more details on Hong Kong’s annual eSports & Music Festival head to their official website HERE.

Source: http://launch.theaureview.com/games/the-worlds-esports-industry-is-growing-at-a-massive-rate-and-hong-kong-is-ready-to-catch-up/

INTERVIEW: PyroGenesis $PYR.ca Discusses MOU For DROSRITE™ Tolling with one of the Largest Japanese Trading Houses

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

Sometimes the headline in a press release speaks for itself … and this press release isn’t speaking, it is shouting. Specifically, these excerpts:

1. MOU with one of the largest Japanese Trading Houses;

2. Annual Revenues of $5.4 Billion, Assets: > Can$25 Billion; 400 Subsidiaries and Affiliates Around The World.

3. Advanced Discussions With 4 Different Smelters For A Total of 11 Systems.

My Thoughts:

1. Japanese Trading Houses Don’t Announce MOU’s Without Very Serious Intent. Doesn’t guarantee anything but Japanese culture is to measure 10 times and cut once. Bodes well for Pyro.

2. With those kinds of revenue and profit numbers, the Japanese partner won’t waste time with something that can’t move their top and bottom line needle. What do they see?

3. 4 different smelters for 11 different systems … market interest is extremely high already. Pyro is on the cusp of major market acceptance.

Peter Pascali’s thoughts? Watch the interview below … and then share it with your friends.

Looking forward to your questions and comments!

Marijuana Company of America’s $MCOA #hempSMART (TM) Brand Announces Strategic Partnership with “As Seen on TV” to Launch Commercial Ad Campaign $AERO $CBDS $CGRW $APH.ca $GBLX $ACG $ACB $WEED.ca $HIP.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:28 AM on Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

15233 mcoa

  • Wholly owned subsidiary, hempSMART™, is launching a direct response television ad campaign in a strategic partnership with asseenontv.pro (ASONTV)
  • In early November 2018, ASONTV and hempSMART will release a television commercial campaign promoting the Company’s hempSMART Full Spectrum Pet Drops, formulated with 250mg of non-psychoactive hemp derived Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, on major cable networks in select regions across the United States.
  • 60 second TV ad campaign will run for 6 weeks from its starting date with a total of 300 different featured advertisement spots

Escondido, California–(November 6, 2018) – MARIJUANA COMPANY OF AMERICA INC. (“MCOA” or the “Company“) (OTC Pink: MCOA), an innovative hemp and cannabis corporation, is pleased to announce that its wholly owned subsidiary, hempSMART™, is launching a direct response television ad campaign in a strategic partnership with asseenontv.pro (ASONTV).

In early November 2018, ASONTV and hempSMART will release a television commercial campaign promoting the Company’s hempSMART Full Spectrum Pet Drops, formulated with 250mg of non-psychoactive hemp derived Cannabidiol (CBD) oil, on major cable networks in select regions across the United States. The 60 second TV ad campaign will run for 6 weeks from its starting date with a total of 300 different featured advertisement spots.

The ad campaign will promote hempSMART’s Pet Drops as an all-natural alternative for pet owners to traditional products in the market place. The Company anticipates that the increased attention gained from the commercial ad campaign could drive more customers to the other products featured under the hempSMART CBD product brand.

Donald Steinberg states, “As our hempSMART brand continues to grow, MCOA will continue to search for and utilize new partnerships that will uniquely market our incredible collection of all-natural CBD product formulations. We feel that our strategic partnership with ASONTV is an important milestone for the Company that will help promote our hempSMART Pet Drops to consumers across the country.”

To purchase hempSMART products, including the Full Spectrum Pet Drops, please visit: https://hempsmart.com/Shop.

About Marijuana Company of America, Inc.
MCOA is a corporation which participates in: (1) product research and development of legal hemp-based consumer products under the brand name “hempSMART™”, that targets general health and well-being; (2) an affiliate marketing program to promote and sell its legal hemp-based consumer products containing CBD; (3) leasing of real property to separate business entities engaged in the growth and sale of cannabis in those states and jurisdictions where cannabis has been legalized and properly regulated for medicinal and recreations use; and, (4) the expansion of its business into ancillary areas of the legalized cannabis and hemp industry, as the legalized markets and opportunities in this segment mature and develop.

About Our hempSMART Products Containing CBD
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not recognized CBD as a safe and effective drug for any indication. Our products containing CBD derived from industrial hemp are not marketed or sold based upon claims that their use is safe and effective treatment for any medical condition as drugs or dietary supplements subject to the FDA’s juridiction.

Forward Looking Statements
This news release contains “forward-looking statements” which are not purely historical and may include any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such forward-looking statements include, among other things, the development, costs and results of new business opportunities and words such as “anticipate”, “seek”, intend”, “believe”, “estimate”, “expect”, “project”, “plan”, or similar phrases may be deemed “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the inherent uncertainties associated with new projects, the future U.S. and global economies, the impact of competition, and the Company’s reliance on existing regulations regarding the use and development of cannabis-based products. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release, and we assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that any such beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions will prove to be accurate. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-12G, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, please visit www.sec.gov.

For more information, please visit the Company’s websites at:

MarijuanaCompanyofAmerica.com
hempSMART.com
NetworkNewsWires/MCOA

Corporate Communications Contact:
NetworkNewsWire (NNW)
New York, New York
www.NetworkNewsWire.com
212.418.1217 Office
[email protected]

Tetra Bio-Pharma $TBP.ca Enters into Non-Binding Proposal to Acquire #Panag Pharma Inc. $AERO $CBDS $CGRW $APH.ca $GBLX

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 8:24 AM on Tuesday, November 6th, 2018

Logo tetrabiopharma rgb web

The Proposed Transaction is expected to provide Tetra:

  • With the most robust Pharmaceutical and Natural Health Products (NHP) pipeline of any Cannabinoid company;
  • With more pharmaceutical and natural health products;
  • The ability to sell these products worldwide; and
  • Access to Panag’s NHP portfolio which is not included in the present in-licensing agreement with Panag. 

ORLEANS, Ontario, Nov. 06, 2018 — Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc., (“Tetra” or the “Company“),  a leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development (TSX VENTURE: TBP) (OTCQB: TBPMF), today announced it has entered into a non-binding proposal (the “Proposal“) with the shareholders (the “Vendors“) of Panag Pharma Inc. (“Panag“) for the acquisition by Tetra of all of the issued and outstanding shares in the capital of Panag (the “Proposed Transaction“).  Panag is a Canadian-based life sciences company focused on the development of novel cannabinoid-based formulations for the treatment of pain and inflammation.  Panag has developed innovative and patented formulations for the treatment of ocular diseases and other pain conditions such as general neuropathic pain. Their significant formulation expertise in the wellness market will allow Tetra to expand its commercial operations. 

Dr. Guy Chamberland, CEO and CSO of Tetra stated, “We are very pleased to announce this news to our shareholders.  We have been working with Panag for over a year and as a combined entity we will have a robust product pipeline of cannabinoid derived drugs for development as prescription or OTC drugs.  Tetra is not just acquiring assets and intellectual property, we are joining a group of world-renowned cannabinoid experts that will help take Tetra to the next level as a pharmaceutical company.”

Panag will remain a separate subsidiary owned 100% by Tetra and will provide Tetra with additional discovery and early phase drug development capacity.  With this robust product pipeline, Tetra intends to continue to implement its out-licensing program to generate additional revenues via upfront payments, milestone payments, and royalties and actively pursue the clinical development of lead products.

“Panag will bring Tetra Natural Health a unique pipeline of products, thereby strengthening our role as a key player in the cannabinoid wellness market,” said Richard Giguere, CEO of Tetra Natural Health. “We look forward to working with Panag to commercialize these products globally and expect to generate revenues from these products by Q4 2019 following completion of the acquisition.”

According to Dr. Orlando Hung, a co-founder of Panag, “We are very excited to have the opportunity to continue our decades of cannabinoid research work and partner for commercialization with Tetra Bio-Pharma. The timing is perfect as there is an urgent need for non-opioid medications to treat pain and inflammation. We expect the Panag-Tetra Bio-Pharma combined portfolio of cannabinoid products to play a significant role in the management of pain and inflammation.  We are particularly pleased to have the support of Tetra Bio-Pharma to advance the development and research of Panag cannabinoid products.”

Pursuant to the Proposal, Tetra would acquire 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of Panag for an aggregate consideration of $12,000,000, on a debt-free basis and subject to customary post-closing adjustments. The purchase price would be payable by Tetra delivering to the Vendors, on the closing date of the Proposed Transaction, (i) $3,000,000 in cash and (ii) $9,000,000 payable in common shares of Tetra. The Proposal also contemplates the payment by Tetra to the Vendors of an aggregate amount of up to $15,000,000 in cash in milestone payments upon the achievement of operational targets associated with marketing approvals and commercialization of both human and veterinary drug products by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The milestone payments would be accelerated in the event of a bankruptcy, insolvency, change of control or sale of all of the assets of Tetra.

Two of the Vendors, Bill Cheliak and Gregory Drohan, are non-arm’s length parties to Tetra within the meaning of the rules of the TSX Venture Exchange. Mr. Cheliak is the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company and Mr. Drohan is a Director of the Company. The Proposed Transaction will not result in the issuance of securities to non-arm’s length parties as a group as payment of the purchase price exceeding 10% of the number of outstanding shares of the Company on a non-diluted basis.

The Company expects that the Proposed Transaction will be completed by the end of the 2018 calendar year. 100% of the shareholders of Panag have signed the term sheet.  Completion of the Proposed Transaction remains subject to a number of conditions, including the completion of a satisfactory due diligence investigation by Tetra, the negotiation of a definitive purchase agreement, the approval by Panag’s shareholders in accordance with the shareholders’ agreement of Panag, the receipt of all required regulatory approvals, including that of the TSX Venture Exchange and such other closing conditions as are customary in transactions of this nature.  There can be no assurance that such conditions will be satisfied and that the Proposed Transaction will be completed as described or at all.

About Tetra Bio-Pharma:

Tetra Bio-Pharma (TSX-V: TBP) (OTCQB: TBPMF) is a biopharmaceutical leader in cannabinoid-based drug discovery and development with a Health Canada approved, and FDA reviewed, clinical program aimed at bringing novel prescription drugs and treatments to patients and their healthcare providers. The Company has several subsidiaries engaged in the development of an advanced and growing pipeline of Bio Pharmaceuticals, Natural Health and Veterinary Products containing cannabis and other medicinal plant-based elements. With patients at the core of what we do, Tetra Bio-Pharma is focused on providing rigorous scientific validation and safety data required for inclusion into the existing bio pharma industry by regulators, physicians and insurance companies.

For more information visit: www.tetrabiopharma.com

About Panag Pharma:

Panag Pharma Inc. is a Canadian based bio-tech company focused on the development of novel cannabinoid-based formulations for the treatment of pain and inflammation. Panag believes that pain relief should be safe, non-addictive and above all; effective. The Panag Pharma team of PhD scientists and medical doctors are among the world’s leading researchers and clinicians in pain treatment and management. They bring a combined experience of over 100 years in research and clinical care of people dealing with chronic pain and inflammatory conditions. Panag’s current pipeline of pain relief products include formulations for the topical application to the skin, the eye and other mucous membranes. Recently approved by Health Canada and currently undergoing clinical trials, Panag Pharma’s Topical AOTC provides a new approach to the treatment of chronic pain and inflammation.

Source: Tetra Bio-Pharma

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

Forward-looking statements

Some statements in this release may contain forward-looking information. All statements, other than of historical fact, that address activities, events or developments that the Company believes, expects or anticipates will or may occur in the future (including, without limitation, statements regarding: the anticipated benefits of the Proposed Transaction for Tetra; completion and expected timing of the Proposed Transaction; whether the terms of the Proposed Transaction will be as described in this press release; whether the Proposed Transaction will be successful; the receipt of required regulatory approvals (including stock exchange) in respect of the Proposed Transaction)are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are generally identifiable by use of the words “may”, “will”, “should”, “continue”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “estimate”, “believe”, “intend”, “plan” or “project” or the negative of these words or other variations on these words or comparable terminology. Forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s ability to control or predict, that may cause the actual results of the Company to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among other things, without limitation, the inability of the Company to obtain sufficient financing to execute the Company’s business plan; competition; regulation and anticipated and unanticipated costs and delays, the success of the Company’s research and development strategies, including the completion of the Panag transaction,, the applicability of the discoveries made therein, the successful and timely completion and uncertainties related to the regulatory process including the applications for Orphan Drug Designation, the timing of clinical trials, the timing and outcomes of regulatory or intellectual property decisions and other risks disclosed in the Company’s public disclosure record on file with the relevant securities regulatory authorities. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause results or events not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. No definitive documentation has yet been signed by the parties and there is no certainty that such documentation will be signed. The forward-looking statements included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company does not undertake an obligation to publicly update such forward-looking statements to reflect new information, subsequent events or otherwise unless required by applicable securities legislation.

For further information, please contact Tetra Bio-Pharma Inc.

Guy Chamberland, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer and Chief Scientific Officer
514-220-9225
[email protected]
Media Contact
Energi PR
Carol Levine Stephanie Engel
514-288-8500 ext. 226 416-425-9143 ext. 209
[email protected] [email protected]

#Lithium Market Expected To Struggle To Meet Demand Through 2025 $NAM.ca $LIC.ca $LIX.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:14 PM on Monday, November 5th, 2018
  • For lithium producers, the inability to lift output fast enough to meet the demand for the most coveted material, essential for producing electric vehicle batteries, will undoubtedly cause some problems in the forthcoming years.
  • This was revealed earlier this week by the sector’s newest public company, Livent Corp who have expressed their worries about the greater risks imposed in the near future, thanks to the consistent deficit on the market.

OCT 24 2018 BY VANJA KLJAIC 

The production of the material that are essential in making batteries for electric vehicles will impact the market in the forthcoming years.

For lithium producers, the inability to lift output fast enough to meet the demand for the most coveted material, essential for producing electric vehicle batteries, will undoubtedly cause some problems in the forthcoming years. This was revealed earlier this week by the sector’s newest public company, Livent Corp who have expressed their worries about the greater risks imposed in the near future, thanks to the consistent deficit on the market.

“We think demand is going to grow almost five times larger in 2025 than it was in 2017,” CEO Paul Graves said in an interview Thursday in New York, as the supplier made its trading debut. “Our biggest challenge is producing enough to meet the demand — there’s a much greater risk that this market is consistently in a deficit in the near future.”

The long-term outlook considering the lithium demand from Livent, a spinoff from chemical maker FMC Corp., is shared by their competitors, like the Chinese-based company Jiangxi Ganfeng Lithium Co., which this week sold shares in Hong Kong for the first time. However, it seems that the investors haven’t been immediately swayed, focusing instead on concerns new supply may flood the market in the short term. Furthermore, the potential decline, coming after a rally that tripled prices in the three years through 2017, also causes concern for potential investors.

Hence, the shares of the Philadelphia-based Livent closed little changed Thursday, while Ganfeng plunged 29 percent on its Hong Kong debut.

“The poor performance reflects lack of confidence in the near-term lithium market,” Argonaut Securities (Asia) Ltd. analysts including Helen Lau said in a Friday note. “We think markets have indeed over-reacted to the current price performance and overlooked the demand growth prospects.”

There are several reasons behind the inability for these companies to lift output fast enough to meet the demand set forth by the world car industry. For some, it’s the capital they’re unable to raise that would fuel their expansion. Some others are faced with face regulatory hurdles, dimming the supply outlook. For Livent’s Graves, 47, who was FMC’s CFO and worked at Goldman Sachs Group Inc. for 12 years, including as co-head of natural resources in Asia, expansion into other countries is needed in order to meet the ever increasing demand for this material.

“Our next priority is to expand our Argentina production as quickly as we can to meet that downstream need,” he said.

Even more, according to Ganfeng’s Vice Chairman Wang Xiaoshen, giving an interview Tuesday, there is a potential risk of a lithium shortage longer term, particularly from around 2023 to 2024, when production of electric vehicles is set to accelerate even further. And that could cause additional problems. The world is gearing up for an electric revolution, but it seems that the lithium industry – the one supplying its core materials – may not yet be ready for it.

Source: https://insideevs.com/lithium-market-struggle-meet-demand-through-2025/

#Weed woes: Canada struggles to meet huge demand for legal #cannabis $BOG.ca $NBUD.ca $MCOA $AERO $CBDS $CGRW $APH.ca $GBLX $ACG $ACB $WEED.ca $HIP.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 3:12 PM on Monday, November 5th, 2018

  • Two weeks after Canada became the first G20 country to legalize cannabis amid much fanfare and celebration, numerous stores – both physical and digital – are struggling to meet unexpectedly high demand and in much of the country, the legal supply of marijuana has dried up.
  • “There is not enough legal marijuana to supply all of recreational demand in Canada,” said Rosalie Wyonch, a policy analyst at the CD Howe Institute. “The shortages are happening faster than I would have expected, but our research suggested quite strongly that there would be shortages in the first year of legalization.”

Leyland Cecco in Toronto

Sun 4 Nov 2018 08.00 GMT Last modified on Mon 5 Nov 2018 11.22 GMT

When Trevor Tobin opened one of Canada’s first legal cannabis stores last month, he had high hopes of playing a small part in a historic national experiment – and of making a tidy profit.

Brimming with optimism, he and his mother Brenda pooled $100,000 in savings to create High North, one of the few private retailers in Newfoundland and Labrador.

But the pair quickly found themselves staring at empty shelves – and watching the money they had invested slip away. Day after day, staff at Labrador City’s only cannabis shop have had to turn away customers due to scarce inventory and have even gone as far as temporarily shutting down the store.

“After a week of 100 apologies [to customers] each day, we’re tired of just saying sorry,” said Tobin. “We were told there would be bumps in the road. This isn’t a bump in the road. This is a pothole.”

Two weeks after Canada became the first G20 country to legalize cannabis amid much fanfare and celebration, numerous stores – both physical and digital – are struggling to meet unexpectedly high demand and in much of the country, the legal supply of marijuana has dried up.

“There is not enough legal marijuana to supply all of recreational demand in Canada,” said Rosalie Wyonch, a policy analyst at the CD Howe Institute. “The shortages are happening faster than I would have expected, but our research suggested quite strongly that there would be shortages in the first year of legalization.”

A mix of regulatory frameworks, retail chain distribution and logistical kinks – including rolling postal strikes across the country – have created fertile ground for the shortages.

When Colorado legalized recreational cannabis, it took three years for supply to finally catch up to demand, and Canada could expect a similar delay, said Wyonch.

In Quebec, the Société Québécoise du Cannabis – a government entity overseeing sales – has opted to close three days per week in order to better ration its limited supply.

Online sales make up a large component of the recreational cannabis market. In Ontario, where there are no physical retailers, residents are required to purchase products through a government-run web site.

Within the first 24 hours of legalization, the Ontario Cannabis Store website processed 100,000 orders – but few of them have been shipped to customers.

Because Ontario only allows online sales of cannabis, many residents have been left waiting two weeks for orders to arrive – and some report random cancellations of their orders.

University student Curtis Baller found out that his order had been cancelled after seeing a charge disappear from his credit card – not a notification from the OCS.“The most frustrating part to me is that the government forced a monopoly on both the supply and delivery on cannabis products, then failed to deliver,” Baller told the Guardian. Ontario’s ombudsmen has received more than 1,000 complaints about the site since it launched on 17 October.

Supply for retailers, either private or government, is dictated by contracts between the government and licensed suppliers, making shifting to new sources of cannabis to fill supply gaps a lengthy process.

“Health Canada is still licensing producers, existing producers are expanding facilities and at the end of the day, marijuana is a plant. It takes a certain amount of time to grow, process and package, ship and get tested,” said Wyonch.

The shortages are also likely to be costly for provincial and federal governments. In a policy paper developed with colleague Anindya Sen, Wyonch argues that the government could lose $800m in revenues to the black market – far outpacing the anticipated tax revenues of $300m-$600m in the first year of legalization.

For Tobin and his mother, one of the few private retailers with a retail licence, the shortage has turned what seemed like a lucrative business into a temporarily losing venture.

“I’m paying staff members to sit around with fingers crossed that we’ll receive [new stock]. We never do,” said Tobin. “I can’t keep operating the shop, losing money everyday paying staff with no product.”

Some see a potential silver lining to the shortage: the bottlenecks likely mean a large number of people have tried to shift from the black market to the legal space at a faster rate than anticipated.

But the risk remains that the move may be reversed if supply problems are not resolved.

“The government will likely be successful in eliminating the black market, as long as the legal supply comes online quickly. Otherwise, we risk potentially entrenching a black market,” said Wyonch.

But Tobin fears that the recent shortages have already pushed consumers away from the legal markets. Both new and prior cannabis users have expressed frustration that they can’t buy from his store, or any other retailer in the region.

“Now that we can’t supply them, they’re still going to find it,” he said. “There’s no shortage of weed in Labrador City. Just the legal stuff.”

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/nov/04/cannabis-weed-marijuana-canada-high-demand

INTERVIEW: IntellaEquity $IEQ.ca Discusses Opportunistic Investments in the Industrial, AI and Blockchain Sectors

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 2:00 PM on Sunday, November 4th, 2018

VIDEO: Good Life Networks $GOOD.ca CEO Jesse Dylan Discusses Recent Agreement with AMPD (Game Technology) CEO Anthony Brown $ATVI $TTWO $GAME $EPY.ca $TCEHF $Game.ca $EPY.ca

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:58 PM on Thursday, November 1st, 2018
Good Life Networks Inc. (TSXV: GOOD) (FSE: 4G5), a programmatic advertising technology company, announced that it has entered into an agreement AMPD Holdings Corp to provide the Company’s programmatic advertising technology to the Gaming industry. AMPD is a Vancouver company that specializes in Game Technologies and is the only company in Canada specifically focused on providing technology solutions for game developers and publishers. Read the full press release HERE

Bougainville $BOG.ca Signs Binding LOI to Acquire Assets of Gene Bank Research Inc. $CROP.ca $VP.ca NF.ca $MCOA

Posted by AGORACOM-JC at 4:31 PM on Thursday, November 1st, 2018

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  • Entering the Canadian cannabis market through the signing of a binding Letter of Intent to acquire the assets and inventory of Gene Bank Research Inc.,
  • Places Bougainville in a strong position to capitalize on the market opportunities created by the new Cannabis Act.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 01, 2018 — BOUGAINVILLE VENTURES INC. (“Bougainville” or the “Company“) (CSE:BOG) is pleased to announce that it has entered the Canadian cannabis market through the signing of a binding Letter of Intent to acquire the assets and inventory of Gene Bank Research Inc., placing Bougainville in a strong position to capitalize on the market opportunities created by the new Cannabis Act.

About Gene Bank Research Inc.
Gene Bank has over 110 lab-tested craft strains developed by its team of knowledgeable breeders possessing over 17 years’ experience.  These unique craft strains allow licensed producers to stand out in an increasingly generic and homogenized market.

The Gene Bank assets include:

  • Seeds – a collection of many of the building block genetics of today’s top ranked strains from around the world and used by top breeders
  • Clones – the healthiest genetic selections based on specific phenotype/genotype characteristics
  • Adult Plants – thousands of plants grown out to select the strongest, healthiest, highest yielding and disease/mold resistance available
  • Graphed plants – unique super strains created by graphing the industry’s hardiest strains with weaker more finicky varieties

Principle LOI Terms

  • Binding LOI
  • Transfer of 100% of Gene Bank’s assets and current inventory to Bougainville
  • Payment of $5,000,000 of Bougainville shares, with the price of such BOG shares to be based on 5 day volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) by reference to October 30, 2018
  • Assets include:
    • Seeds
    • Genetic Lab Reports
    • All Proprietary Information
    • Bank Accounts
    • Business Deck
    • Corporation Documents

CEO, Andy Jagpal Comments:
“The acquisition of Gene Bank greatly expands our reach through vertical integration with the ability to provide unique and highly valued strains of seeds and clones to the cannabis market. I am confident this acquisition can substantially enhance Bougainville’s market value.”

About Bougainville Ventures, Inc. 
Bougainville provides cannabis infrastructure and seed-to-sale services to I-502 tenant-growers leasing greenhouse facilities space and providing fully built-out, turnkey solutions and ancillary services including processing, cannabis expertise and marketing and sales resources. Greenhouse canopies provide a 50% saving in cultivation cost.

For more information please visit: http://bougainvilleinc.com/

On behalf of the Board of Directors
BOUGAINVILLE VENTURES INC.

Andy Jagpal, CEO and Director

For further information, please contact Andy Jagpal at [email protected] or 1-844-734-8420 

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, including statements regarding the Oroville, WA cultivation facility: statements pertaining to the ability of Bougainville Ventures Inc. (“BOG”); the anticipated economic potential of the property; the availability of capital and finance for BOG to execute its strategy going forward. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by BOG in light of its experience and perception of current and expected future developments, as well as other factors that BOG believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause BOG’s results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward looking statements, including: discrepancies between actual and estimated results from exploration and development and operating risks, dependence on early exploration stage concessions; uninsurable risks; competition; regulatory restrictions, including environmental regulatory restrictions and liability; currency fluctuations; defective title to mineral claims or property and dependence on key employees. Forward-looking statements are based on the expectations and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. The assumptions used in the preparation of such statements, although considered reasonable at the time of preparation, may prove to be imprecise and, as such, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements. The Company expressly disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

No regulatory authority has approved or disapproved the information contained in this news release.