On April 4th, the AQIC organized in collaboration with AGRIcarrières an event to which the members of the Association and the media were invited. It was an opportunity to review the results of the subsector analysis on the cannabis production workforce conducted by AGRIcarrières, and also present the important new features of the Association's website. One of these improvements is a new career section that provides information on the industry's various job opportunities and allows companies to post their job offers.
As labour shortages impact the country's economy and businesses in all sectors, the Sector Committee for Agricultural Production (AGRICarrières) wanted to examine the impact of labour shortages on cannabis production. The resulting report provides a snapshot of the industry and the issues it faces for sustainable production and business development.
According to the committee's conclusions, the industry is facing numerous recruitment and retention challenges. It "identified all the labour problems encountered by employers in the sector, including those related to stigmatization, the labour shortage in Quebec, the high turnover of horticultural workers, a lack of knowledge on career opportunities and ineligibility for subsidized training. Despite the good working conditions offered and the attractive job prospects, there is reason to believe that the lack of promotion of the industry and the obstacles to skill development will exacerbate the difficulties of cannabis producers in acquiring a qualified workforce within a context of labour scarcity."
Even before the release of this report, the Association québécoise de l’industrie du cannabis (AQIC) created a Workforce Committee to ensure the promotion of careers related to the industry and the development of consultation and coordination structures between organizations and workers.
Furthermore, the Association is continuously working to optimize its website to meet the needs and better support the Quebec cannabis industry.
The revamped AQIC website now allows its members to have access to high value-added tools, including a job portal on which they can publish their job offers. This portal is present in the secure members’ area, but also on the public site for consultation purposes only. It also allows visitors to send their applications directly to employers.
In addition, a directory of the various career opportunities available in the industry will also be created to highlight the jobs in the industry and to raise awareness of the many available and often overlooked professions.
Other new features available include a directory of medical cannabis companies and clinics. As for members, they also now benefit from a private and secure chat room as well as, among other things, a calendar of industry events.
"We are very pleased with the work that has been done and are thrilled that it has been so well received by all of our members. We believe that these new features will address an urgent need for our industry. In addition, we would like to thank AGRICarrières for all the information provided in the study. This report highlights the work that needs to be done and the various measures that our industry needs to be put in place to face current and future challenges," explained Pierre Leclerc, Executive Director of the AQIC.
The Quebec Cannabis Industry Association (AQIC) represents organizations that are regulated by the Cannabis Act. With over 90 members, AQIC is committed to working with government and stakeholders to responsibly advance the Quebec cannabis industry in collaboration with public health and the safety goals of cannabis legalization. Part of these goals are to reduce the harms associated with use by providing quality products under strict controls and redirecting the purchase of cannabis into the legal economy. The Association encourages innovation through science and technology and provides its members with unique tools and a secure space to share information and reflect on common challenges and opportunities. AQIC also plays an educational role, analyzing policies to suggest best practices to government authorities while providing relevant information to the public.
For more information, please visit: aqic.ca.
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Media and membership requests
Caroline Shevlin
Coordinator
Association québécoise de l'industrie du cannabis (AQIC)
Telephone: 514 834-9233
Email: info@aqic.ca