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Cannabis

Cannabis Law

Our Cannabis Group provides timely, technical, and practical advice that minimizes risk and maximizes growth for clients involved in the cannabis industry.

Helping develop your business.

Finance: We advise investors and borrowers on finance arrangements (angel, seed, venture capital, bank, equity and debt) and protect the interest of stakeholders. We also guide banks and credit unions on due diligence procedures for cannabis-related loans.

Acquisitions: the legalization of non-medicinal cannabis has opened the doors to a variety of business opportunities and transactions. Whether you are acquiring or selling a business, our cannabis and Business Lawyers in Vancouver can help with take-over bids, reorganizations, transfers of assets, securities exchanges, amalgamations, going-private and other transactions. We advise buyers, sellers, directors, banks, investors, shareholders and other stakeholders on securities, business and regulatory matters. By anticipating potential challenges and addressing stakeholders’ concerns, we facilitate smooth and prompt transactions for our clients.

Business: Companies rely on our distinct cannabis expertise for their unique agreements and tight timelines. From advising on business agreements (supply, acquisitions, development, manufacturing, distribution, import, export and shareholder) to assisting clients with obtaining cannabis-related licenses (cultivation, processing, retail, and private use), our specialized services are agile and far-reaching. We help clients avoid unnecessary risks by considering what could happen in the future and providing related practical solutions.

Real Estate: We advise on all cannabis real estate matters, including purchases and sales, licensing and regulatory compliance, consultations with Indigenous peoples, environmental, leasing, zoning, development and facility construction. As we provide comprehensive real estate services at the outset, we help clients mitigate civic, financial and governance challenges.

Workplace: As an experienced and trusted adviser, we work closely with employers on emerging cannabis-related workplace matters, including internal policies, insurance coverage, management training, communications and medical cannabis accommodation. We help employers take proactive measures to reduce workplace incidents and facilitate safe environments.

Cannabis Industry Consultants: Complementing our practice, we work with consultants with special expertise in the cannabis industry, including technology developers, manufacturers, insurers, financiers, accountants and more. As a business-conscious team, we regularly connect our clients with specialists in our network.

Additional Areas of Expertise: Our lawyers are familiar with all aspects of the cannabis-related business life cycle. We act for producers, distributors, retailers, investors, healthcare and technology companies on banking, intellectual property, marketing, advertising, environmental and other agribusiness matters.

We also act for stakeholders involved with cannabis-related insolvencies and, when required, we leverage the expertise of our litigation team to provide a broad range of dispute resolution and arbitration services.

Meet Our Team

Recent News

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The regulatory landscape for mortgage services in British Columbia is about to change significantly…
  • Business Law

The regulatory landscape for mortgage services in British Columbia is about to change significantly…

Elias Notopoulos,Anny Kim

On October 13, 2026, British Columbia’s new Mortgage Services Act, S.B.C. 2022, c. 27 (the “MSA”) will come into force and effect, replacing the longstanding Mortgage Brokers Act, R.S.B.C. ch. 313 (the “MBA”). The MSA introduces a modernized regulatory framework for mortgage service providers, including expanded licensing requirements, increased disclosure obligations, enhanced enforcement tools, and significantly higher penalties for non-compliance.

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Watson Goepel Joins Business Leaders for EU-Canada Trade Talks
  • Firm News

Building Bridges: Watson Goepel Joins Business Leaders for International Connections: Europe & Canada

Watson Goepel

This week, Watson Goepel was proud to take part in International Connections: Europe & Canada, the second installment in a series dedicated to strengthening the commercial ties between Canada and European markets. Hosted in RBC’s Executive Dining Space in the heart of downtown Vancouver, the event brought together business leaders, trade professionals, and government representatives for an evening of substantive conversation and genuine connection.

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New PST BC
  • Business Law

Getting an engineer, accountant, or security guard in British Columbia may not become more expensive after all, at least for now…

Elias Notopoulos,Anny Kim

On September 18, 2026, the BC Government announced that it is pausing the planned expansion of the provincial sales tax (PST) to certain professional services that had been scheduled to take effect on October 1, 2026. This BC PST expansion pause comes as the Province cited ongoing international trade disruptions and economic uncertainty as the reason for the delay.

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Connect with our team today.

We’re here to help your cannabis business grow.