Cannabis Law

We advise cannabis businesses across Canada on regulation, financing and transactions, offering legal and business insight that drives long-term success.
Key Contacts
Blake AngelaHussey DominiqueSonshine AaronTessier JeanTruswell JonWang Julia
Marijuana

Overview

Bennett Jones' cannabis group consists of a team of dedicated legal professionals based mainly in Toronto with expertise spread throughout our additional offices in Canada. We are focused on providing services and expertise designed to enhance the prospects of our cannabis clients. We deliver high-quality legal services with an entrepreneurial approach.

,,A prime-mover in the cannabis space, Bennett Jones LLP’s focus on building a full-service offering has paid dividends, and the firm houses a well-rounded industry group.,,

What Clients Say

While the cannabis group offers the intimacy and responsiveness of a boutique firm, we also draw on the resources of Bennett Jones’ approximately 450 lawyers and legal professionals for their experience in the broad range of legal matters that are relevant to our clients.

We develop and maintain stable, long-term relationships between each client and one of our lawyers who acts as a single point of contact. The contact person will introduce and coordinate other Bennett Jones lawyers in any specialty disciplines needed.

The cannabis industry is characterized by collaboration and networks. As originating participants in the space, we have developed an extensive network of contacts in Canada and beyond, and we make these contacts available to our clients. Our network includes financing sources (angel, venture capital, private equity and strategic investors, investment banks and commercial banks), government agencies (Health Canada, Canadian securities commissions and Food Inspection Agency), industry consultants (security experts, technology providers and technical advisors) and professionals in related fields (accountants, lawyers, recruiters, marketing and business development experts, and investor and public relations consultants). These are people with whom we have worked over many years and whom we recommend with confidence.

,,They have been outstanding, trusted and proactive partners for us. The team we work with understand the intricacies of my business and have a strong understanding of the cannabis space.,,

What Clients Say

Our practice group has worked with hundreds of cannabis businesses since the space’s inception. We deliver that experience to every client by recommending best practices and helping them to avoid costly mistakes with customized advice. There is no substitute for the experience of having seen particular approaches succeed or fail.

Our Business Approach

We strive to be thought leaders in the cannabis industry and, to this end, we regularly publish articles and thought-pieces regarding topical conversation points and deliver presentations regarding topics of interest at conferences.

We represent and assist clients that are involved in all facets of the cannabis industry as this approach allows us to broker strategic introductions for our clients.  We believe this holistic approach allows us to offer both legal and business expertise and truly assume the role of trusted business partner and advisor to our cannabis clients.

Client Work

Glass House Brands

in its US$50-million senior secured loan

Glass House Brands

in its US$25 million at-the-market equity offering of voting shares

Canopy Growth

in Ontario Securities Commission enforcement proceedings against Cormark Securities

Indiva

in its C$4-million private placement of units, comprised of a common share and a warrant

Indiva

in a stalking horse purchase agreement for the business and assets by SNDL

Leef Brands

in its US$5-million offering of debentures, the first such offering by a publicly-traded cannabis company to be backed by Bitcoin

Numinus Wellness

in the sale of a portfolio of Canadian health care clinics

PharmaCielo

in its acquisition of Siam Ventures, and in its concurrent C$2-million private share placement

Safe Supply Streaming

in its preliminary shelf prospectus filing

Nova Cannabis

in filing its C$35-million short-form base shelf prospectus and C$20-million at-the-market offering

Nova Cannabis

in its strategic partnership with SNDL, which includes the provision of certain licenses to operate and IP rights to SNDL

Nova Cannabis

in connection with a statutory plan of arrangement whereby SNDL acquired all of the issued and outstanding shares

All Nations Cannabis

in the establishment of an on-reserve cannabis production and retail operations in British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Ontario

Cresco Labs

in its US$400-million term loan facility and US$25-million construction mortgage financing

Cresco Labs

in its US$2-billion acquisition of Columbia Care

Cresco Labs

in its US$125-million offering of subordinate voting shares

Cresco Labs

in a public offering of 7,350,000 units at a price per unit of $10.00 for gross proceeds of $73,500,000

Cresco Labs

in its US$207-million acquisition of Bluma Wellness

Cresco Labs

in its acquisition of Tryke Companies

Cresco Labs

in its $2.2-billion reverse takeover transaction and public listing on the Canadian Securities Exchange

Cresco Labs

in its $1.1-billion acquisition of Origin House

KAOS Capital

in the successful campaign to refresh the board of directors of HEXO, reducing the board to seven members, with KAOS retaining right to nominate an eighth member

VIVO Cannabis

in its $133 million acquisition of Canna Farms

TerrAscend

in its arrangement with Canopy USA, LLC to convert $125.5M in debt to securities

ATB Capital Markets

in the $7.14-million private placement offering of The Flowr Corporation

Cantor Fitzgerald Canada

in an up to $30-million at-the-market equity program for the sale of common shares pursuant to an equity distribution agreement with Aleafia Health

Cantor Fitzgerald Canada

in the $22.7-million bought deal offering of units of Aleafia Health 

Cantor Fitzgerald Canada

in the $33.4-million bought deal equity financing of units of MediPharm Labs 

Cantor Fitzgerald Canada

in the $15.9-million bought deal short form prospectus offering of The Flowr Corporation

Emerald Health Therapeutics

in an at-the-market equity offering for the sale of up to $39 million of common shares pursuant to an equity distribution agreement with GMP Securities

Emerald Health Therapeutics

in various privacy and IT-related advice

Emerald Health Therapeutics

in its prospectus offering of common shares to a single institutional investor for gross proceeds of $10.8 million

Emerald Health Therapeutics

in its acquisition of Québec-based licensed producer Agro-Biotech

Cannabis Wheaton Income

in its strategic alliance agreement with Honest

Cannabis Wheaton Income

in the acquisition of Robinson's Cannabis Incorporated valued at $14,000,000

GrowForce

in its acquisition of WILL Cannabis

Canaccord Genuity

in the brokered private placement of convertible debentures of Central Coast Agriculture for aggregate gross proceeds of up to US$25 million

Canaccord Genuity

in the brokered private placement of special warrants of CLS Holdings USA for aggregate gross proceeds of $13 million

Canaccord Genuity

in the brokered private placement of convertible debentures of CLS Holdings USA for aggregate gross proceeds of up to US$20 million

Canaccord Genuity

in the brokered private placement of units of LiveWell Foods Canada for aggregate gross proceeds of $10 million

Alliance One International

in its acquisition of Canada’s Island Garden

Baker Technologies

in its business combination with Sante Veritas Holdings and others

Alcanna

acted for cannabis retailers

MedMen Enterprises

IPO round of financing

Cura Partners

private round of financing

Endless Sky

in its non-brokered private placement of $2,131,690.00 of units

PlantExt

in corporate, regulatory and IP matter related to Hebrew University, Agricultural Research Organization and ongoing corporate and financing needs

48North Cannabis

in its $50-million acquisition by HEXO

48North Cannabis

in its bought-deal short-form prospectus offering of units for gross proceeds of $28.75 million

48North Cannabis

in its supply agreement with, and ultimate acquisition of, Good & Green

48North Cannabis

go-public transaction with Kramer Capital

FSD Pharma

in its acquisition of Israel clinical pharma Therapix Bioscience

FV Pharma

amalgamation with Century Financial Capital Group

Recognitions

Chambers Canada

Cannabis Law

Legal 500 Canada

Cannabis

Dominique T. Hussey

Chief Executive Officer  •   Co-Head of Innovation, Technology & Branding Practice

At the centre of market-shaping deals and high-stakes disputes, Bennett Jones delivers clarity, strategy and results. Our cross-border teams turn complexity into progress, always focused on what drives your success.

The Bennett Jones Story

At Bennett Jones, legal solutions are our starting point. What drives us forward is knowing our clients inside and out—their ambitions, obstacles and success metrics.

For more than a century, we have shaped outcomes that matter in business, in law and in the broader Canadian landscape. And our commitment extends beyond legal matters: we invest deeply in the communities in which we live and work.