More than half of Cannabis NB stores closed on Tuesday as shortages continue
Supply issues continue to impact the recreational cannabis market in New Brunswick.
Cannabis NB says 12 of their 20 stores were unable to open Tuesday morning due to stock concerns.
The update comes after Global News reported that 10 of the Crown corporation’s stores were closed on Monday.
The chief commercial officer for OrganiGram, a Moncton-based licenced cannabis producer, says the industry is to blame.
“Right across the country, we’re seeing some shortages in inventory,” says Ray Gracewood.
“I think really, what it comes down to is a difference within the licenced producers on their ability to meet the expectations that they’ve set.”
Ray Gracewood, of Organigram, says it seems industry wasn’t prepared for the supply demand.
The two stores each in Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John’s were among those closed. A full list of closed stores provided by Cannabis NB include:
- Fredericton Woodside
- Fredericton Brookside
- Oromocto
- Bathurst
- Miramichi
- Campbellton
- Edmundston
- Wyse St. in Moncton
- Main St. in Moncton
- Lansdowne in Saint John
- Rothesay Avenue in Saint John
- Rothesay
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Marie-Andrée Bolduc, a spokesperson for Cannabis NB, says they were in tough from the beginning, only receiving 20 to 30 per cent of its original shipment.
She says multiple shipments are expected this week.
“It’s not ideal,” she says.
“We still have some stores open in certain parts of the province, but we’ll try to reopen as soon as we can.”
Bolduc says determining when stores could reopen is difficult to predict due to staggered deliveries.
Organigram says it delivered on 144 per cent of its initial order from Cannabis NB, and production has been ramping up to meet targets.
“We’ve been going full bore on production — increasing the number of shifts that we’re running,” says Gracewood.
“We’ve been shipping out literally on a daily basis.”
Gracewood says they’ll continue to work with New Brunswick, and other provinces across the country to work on forecasting and supply.
“At the end of the day, it’s become pretty clear that some of the other licenced producers haven’t been able to fill on their commitments.”
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