ARC – Page 4 – Applied Research and Innovation Office

Vivo and Loyalist College Collaborate on Cannabis Applied Research Project

Posted on October 5, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Vivo and Loyalist College Collaborate on Cannabis Applied Research Project

Napanee, Ontario, October 5, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – VIVO Cannabis Inc. (TSXV:VIVO, OTCQX: VVCIF) (“VIVO” or the “Company”), through its wholly owned subsidiary ABcann Medicinals Inc., and Loyalist College’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis (ARC) have entered into an applied research agreement to investigate and develop innovative processes for the extraction and formulation of cannabis oil for commercialization.

By partnering with Loyalist, VIVO aims to develop optimized processes for extraction, expand its capacity to develop new products, and contribute to unique and advanced experiential learning opportunities for students while preparing them to become future leaders in the Canadian cannabis industry.

VIVO and Loyalist’s ARC intend to achieve the following objectives as part of this agreement:

• Investigate new processes and technologies to increase the efficiency of producing high-quality, well-characterized medical cannabis oil for commercialization;

• Facilitate applied research projects in extraction and testing;

• Investigate opportunities for new product formats and formulations for commercialization; and

• Implement experiential learning opportunities at VIVO that allow Loyalist students to apply and advance their industry knowledge.

“VIVO is excited to enter into this collaboration with Loyalist,” said Jaipaul Massey-Singh, VP of Product Development and Supply at VIVO. “The changes in our industry are rapid and dynamic, and to be successful it’s critical that we not only seek ways to innovate in the present but also foster future innovation. We believe our agreement with Loyalist will be highly beneficial for both organizations and look forward to collaborating on a range of projects that will allow students to contribute to our growth while we all learn and continue to produce the highest quality products for our customers.”

“We look forward to investigating new processes and technologies with VIVO,” said Ann Drennan, Senior Vice-President Academic and Chief Learning Officer. “This collaboration gives Loyalist students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in green technologies while working with an industry partner in the cutting-edge cannabis oil industry.”

About Loyalist College’s Applied Research and Innovation Department

Currently, Loyalist is the only College in Canada and the only Ontario academic institution to have a laboratory approved to conduct research activities with cannabis under the Narcotic Control Regulations, as listed on the Government of Canada’s website. Through Loyalist’s Applied Research and Innovation Department, the College collaborates with industry partners in various fields on applied research projects, creating amazing learning experiences for students and faculty of all disciplines. The College has had success with funding support through Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) on a variety of projects. This allows Loyalist to increase capacity to work with local industries and businesses, support faculty who are committed to conducting research and to facilitating student research experiences. It has increased the capacity of Ontario industries to conduct applied research and attract new investors, stimulating innovative product development and job creation in the region. For more information, visit loyalistcollege.com.

About VIVO Cannabis™

VIVO, based in Napanee, Ontario, is recognized for trusted, high-quality products and services. It holds production and sales licences from Health Canada and operates world-class indoor cultivation facilities with proprietary plant-growing technology. VIVO has a collection of premium brands targeting unique customer segments, including Beacon Medical™, FIRESIDE™, Canna Farms™ and Lumina™. In August 2018, VIVO acquired Canna Farms Limited, a premium cannabis company based in Hope, British Columbia. Canna Farms was B.C.’s first Licensed Producer and has several years of craft cultivation experience and expertise, as well as a significant patient base and positive cash flow. The Company is significantly expanding its production capacity and pursuing partnership and product development opportunities domestically, as well as in select international markets, including Germany and Australia. VIVO also operates Harvest Medicine, a patient-centric and highly scalable network of specialty medical cannabis clinics as well as a new free telemedicine app providing best-in-class education and support to over 15,000 patients. VIVO has a healthy balance sheet with over $100 million in cash and is well-positioned to accelerate the growth of our business, in Canada and internationally.

More Information

Barry Fishman, CEO VIVO Cannabis: barry.fishman@vivocannabis.com
Michael Bumby, CFO VIVO Cannabis: michael.bumby@vivocannabis.com
Kerry Lorimer, Director of Marketing, Communications & Recruitment: klorimer@loyalistcollege.com
Website: vivocannabis.com

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Barry Fishman (CEO and Director)

Neither 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.

Disclaimer for Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this news release may be considered forward-looking statements, which are statements that are not purely historical, including statements regarding the beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions of VIVO and its management regarding the future. Forward looking statements in this news release include statements relating to the intended objectives and expected benefits of the collaboration with Loyalist. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results, performance or developments to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, including the possibility that the collaboration with Loyalist will not be successful or that VIVO may not derive the expected benefits from the collaboration including with respect to the Company’s ongoing product development efforts. No assurance can be given that any of the events anticipated by the forward-looking statements will occur or, if they do occur, what benefits the Company will obtain from them. Readers are urged to consider these factors, and the more extensive risk factors included in the Company’s annual information form dated April 30, 2018 and other continuous disclosure filings, which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are qualified in their entirety by these cautionary statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date hereof and the Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws.

These 11 Canadian Colleges And Universities All Offer Weed Programs Now

Posted on September 10, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

These 11 Canadian Colleges And Universities All Offer Weed Programs Now

Sep. 10, 2018 – As we’re sure you are well aware, marijuana will be fully legal to buy and smoke in Canada on October 17th of this year. Meaning there’s just over a month left until you’ll legally be able to get your hands on cannabis for recreational purposes for the first time ever in Canada.

This is also big news for a number of colleges and universities in Canada, which are now starting to offer programs designed to help students find jobs in this entirely new industry. Here’s a look at 11 schools across Canada that will prepare you for the front line of the new job market.

Cannabis Infusions Are the Latest Evolution in Beer’s 10,000 year History

Posted on August 31, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Cannabis Infusions Are the Latest Evolution in Beer's 10,000 year History

Aug. 31, 2018 – Archaeologists suspect that humans have been brewing beer for more than 10,000 years, which would indicate that we developed fermentation technology prior to the agricultural revolution. The oldest known beer sample dates from more than 8,000 years ago, made in China using a mix of rice, grapes, hawthorn tree fruit and honey. In the millennia that have followed, brewed beverages have spread and diversified across the globe. That trend continues to this day as brewmasters in the US and Canada experiment with a new strain of 21st century beer infusions: cannabis. It’s not been easy, but our good friend science has come to the rescue.

It’s not that surprising, really. With the rise of recreational weed in more than half of American states — and legalization at the national level in Canada coming October 17th — interest in novel uses for the plant are at an all-time high. What’s more, cannabis and hops are genetic cousins. “They’re the most closely related plants in the family cannabaceae, genetically speaking,” Elan Walsky, co-owner of Oregon’s Coalition Brewing told The Ringer in July. “So from a practical standpoint, it means they’re producing a lot of the same terpenes, or flavor and aromatic compounds.”

This natural synergy has led a number of brewers to experiment with mixing beer with weed. New Belgium recently released the Hemperor IPA, for example, while Lagunitas now offers SuperCritical. Neither of these drinks actually includes THC (which is prohibited by federal law), only the terpenes, but they mark some of the latest innovations in the current trend towards infused craft beers. And they’re certainly not alone. Strange Days Brewing in Kansas is famous for its unique infusions including rice, ginger and coffee, while Mad Science Brewing in Maryland offers beers infused with fruits and vegetables. Nevada-based startup Cannabiniers plans to release its own infused brew this month.

Even Molson Coors is getting in on the action. The company recently announced that it is “entering a joint venture with The Hydropothecary Corporation” to develop a line of non-alcoholic weed beers.

Keith Villa, who developed Blue Moon Belgian Wheat, recently left MillerCoors after 32 years to start CERIA Beverages in Colorado. “I’m ready to introduce another high-impact brand to the industry again, this time with a new line of custom cannabis-infused craft beers,” Villa writes on the CERIA website. “Today, the opportunity and the demand are here, inviting Americans to enjoy a more social way of consuming cannabis – by drinking rather than by smoking it or through ingestion of edibles.”

But unlike the Hemperor IPA or Supercritical, CERIA’s offerings will contain THC but not alcohol. The company plans to release three varieties — a light beer, a wheat beer, and a stout — this fall.

Whether they contain THC or alcohol, all of these beers share a common characteristic: they’re not actually brewed with cannabis. Most often, the beer is simply infused with cannabis oil after the fermentation process. Province Brands, a Toronto-based startup, is working to change that by being the first company to involve cannabis in the brewing process itself, from the plants roots to its flowers. The company is doing so with a little bit of help from student researchers at Loyalist College in Belleville and a $300,000 research grant from the Ontario government.

Want a Job in the Cannabis Industry? Try These Canadian Colleges

Posted on July 9, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Want a Job in the Cannabis Industry? Try These Canadian Colleges

Jul. 19, 2018 – When legal marijuana hits Canadian stores this October, every other country will be watching and scrutinizing what happens in our market. “Canada is going to lead this industry globally,” says David Purcell, director of emerging business, at BC’s Kwantlen Polytechnic University.

With legalization, a whole underground industry is set to become legit; Statistics Canada said $5.7 billion was spent on cannabis last year, making it a bigger sector than alcohol or tobacco. Up to 150,000 new workers—growers, sellers, store managers, retail clerks—will need training. In response, Canadian post-secondary institutions with new classes and programs to meet new market demands. But how do you build a cannabis curriculum on short order? And how do you find reputable teachers, given many experts likely gained their wisdom while growing an illegal product? By necessity, colleges and universities are getting creative in their search for talent.

This September, Niagara College Canada launched what some call the country’s first post-secondary credential in commercial cannabis production. Twenty-four students—including PhD candidates, scientists and engineers—were selected from over 300 applicants to learn best practices for growing marijuana. The program is organized around three core fundamentals: large-scale crop cultivation, legal issues, and business fundamentals. (For the record, no cannabis will be consumed.)

Though the program’s been touted as brand new, Niagara College’s two-year greenhouse technician program has been training growers for three decades—including licensed pot producers. “A couple years ago, it became clear that the sector was looking at cannabis production in a more substantial way because more people were using it medicinally,” says Al Unwin, associate dean at the horticultural school. A college needs to respond to future labour market demands, he argues, so the school quietly added lessons on pot production to the curriculum three years ago.

All teachers were and are legal producers. “We’re not going to employ anyone who’s been illegally producing cannabis—that’s very important,” says Unwin. (Instructors require full security checks through the RCMP.) The new program includes two profs from the horticulture program who enhanced their extensive plant knowledge with two years of cannabis-specific training. Producers from the industry have also been brought in to teach part-time. Unwin admits academic staff weren’t easy to find: “Trying to coax someone to teach a course—let alone take on a full-time professor position—is challenging for sure.” It seems few industry bigwigs are interested in teaching, and few professors are interested in pot.

It’s a familiar problem for Purcell at KPU, which just launched a cannabis career training program. Like Niagara College, Purcell’s school quietly offered a few years of cannabis programming that’s now been incorporated into a series of non-credit, 13-week online courses. Among the school’s offerings are courses focused on plant production and facility management as well as financing a cannabis enterprise in Canada. But unlike Niagara College, enrollment isn’t limited to students with impressive degrees. “We recognize the need for accessible training and we want this to be as accessible as possible,” says Purcell. When demand in the last few months surged past the available 35 spaces, KPU added concurrent courses to their roster; about 1,500 students have completed courses so far.

Luring cannabis professionals away from far more lucrative day jobs is proving to be a challenge. “I think it’s more a question of time than money,” explains Purcell. “These are busy people working 60 hours a week so finding another 10 to 15 isn’t easy.” Even keeping the courses current is an issue. “We’ve updated these courses multiple times already just because of regulatory changes and how quickly this industry is moving.”

As such, Purcell’s more open to embracing formerly illegal producers—it’s not only necessary, but perhaps inevitable. “Ask the legal licensed producers out there where their growers came from. Most are from the illicit market, at some point, even VPs and head growers. But these are responsible, ethical growers that want to grow legally,” he says. KPU’s program and others like it, he hopes, will combat lingering stigma. “We’re breaking down these stereotypes with evidence-based education. We’re the anti-reefer madness.”

To support his mission, and to help train enough professionals to support the coming legal market, Purcell has formed partnerships with other colleges and universities to share curriculum content. Ontario’s Loyalist College is employing KPU’s course material via distance education. Camosun College in B.C. is offering their course in growing cannabis for professionals as is Boreal College in Toronto, which launches its cannabis production technician program in the Fall. Universities too are adjusting their course offerings to Canada’s new laws, albeit more slowly. Mount Royal University in Calgary will offer three online courses beginning this September; Dalhousie University will do the same in Halifax in the spring; and the University of Ottawa will launch a two-week crash course in cannabis law beginning in January.

Alberta Producer Making Cannabis Oil for ‘Green’ Beer Hitting Regulatory Roadblocks

Posted on July 2, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Alberta Producer Making Cannabis Oil for 'Green' Beer Hitting Regulatory Roadblocks

Jul. 1, 2018 – An Alberta-based cannabis producer is hoping to grease the wheels of the liquor industry with a little marijuana oil.

Element GP, based in Clearwater County, plans to provide cannabis oil for a line of non-alcoholic beers brewed from barley, and infused with cannabis oil.

The producer is working with Toronto-based Province Brands of Canada to create the concoction, which they describe as a safer alternative to alcohol.

Under the new business alliance, Element GP will produce custom cannabis oil for some of these new beers.

Province Brands heralded the beer — which is still in development with patent pending. They say cracking open one of their cold ones would provide a short-lived buzz similar to an alcoholic beer.

“All Province Brands beverage products will feature its accelerant to shorten the intoxicating onset time as well as its proprietary decelerant to shorten the offset time, ultimately creating a dose-response curve similar to that of alcohol,” reads a news release.

Toronto Startup in Race to Develop Cannabis ‘Beer’

Posted on June 26, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Toronto Startup in Race to Develop Cannabis ‘Beer’

Jun. 26, 2018 – Toronto-based startup Province Brands has partnered with Ontario’s Loyalist College to develop a non-alcoholic beer made from cannabis. CEO Dooma Wendschuh says the drink is designed to have an equivalent dosage effect as an alcoholic beer.

Click to Learn More: Toronto Startup in Race to Develop Cannabis ‘Beer’ (CityNews Vancouver)

Brews News: Anderson Beers Win Medals at National Competition

Posted on June 6, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Brews News: Anderson Beers Win Medals at National Competition

Jun. 6, 2018 – Never mind the Canadian Country Music Awards or the Junos. What a city like London needs to land in order to be hip are the Canadian Brewing Awards.

Especially when there’s a hometown contender and a whiff of cannabis in the air (not that there’s any connection between the two).

The 16th annual awards recognizing the best of Canada’s craft beers were held in Halifax this year and Anderson Craft Ales was among those leaving with medals from among the 310 breweries submitting more than 1,900 beers.

The Old East Village brewery captured gold for its cream ale and, in the European-style amber to dark lager category, bronze for Anderson Spring. Not too shabby.

There were 56 categories, each representing a style of beer from brett to spiced to smoked.

Among the other medal winners:

• Gold for Walkerville Purity pilsner from Windsor

• Silver for Walkerville’s Kremlin Russian Imperial stout

• Silver for Westcott cream ale by the Grove Brewhouse of Kingsville

• Silver in the North American lager category for Frank’s cream ale by Frank Brewing of Tecumseh

• Silver for Scotch ale, Niagara College Teaching Brewing Beer 101 Strong

• Silver for Come to the Dark Side chocolate stout by Upper Thames of Woodstock

• Bronze for Ace Hill Light. One of the Toronto-based Ace Hill founders is Blake Anderson, formerly of London.

• Best of show was an English brown beer brewed in Quebec by Brasserie Mille-Iles and brewer of the year was Dageraad of British Columbia.

And the cannabis? That was the subject of an eye-raising seminar as cannabis beer edges closer to the marketplace via Province Brands of Canada. In anticipation of legalization for recreational use, the Toronto company has plans to make a beer using cannabis instead of hops.

Dooma Wendschuch, co-founder and chief executive of Province Brands of Canada, told CTV News the cannabis beer would have 6.5 mg of THC, the psychoactive agent in pot.

“Our goal is to make a product that is only as intoxicating as a standard beer would be for someone who has drank beer before,” Wendschuch told the broadcaster.

Hops are a plant cousin of cannabis and the research for using cannabis in beer is partially funded by you. The Ontario government chipped in $300,000 for Loyalist College of Belleville to work with Province Brands in the development of the new adult beverage category. Think of that as you vote in the provincial election.

Ontario Government Just Gave Loyalist College An Insane Amount Of Money To Create Weed Beer

Posted on May 26, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Ontario Government Just Gave Loyalist College An Insane Amount Of Money To Create Weed Beer

May 7, 2018 – When you think of how people ingest marijuana you would usually think of people smoking it, or eating it in a something like a brownie.

But apparently Ontario wants you to have the opportunity to drink it as well, and not just drink it in some kind of nice tasting flavoured drink, but as beer.

Yes, the government of Ontario is actually funding research to make weed beer a thing.

Student researchers at Loyalist College in Belleville Ont. have been given $300,000 in order to make everyone’s marijuana beer dreams a reality.

The basic idea behind this plan is that instead of making beer out of barley, brewers would make it out of cannabis instead.

They want this to be completed and made available to sell to the public by next year when edibles, or in this case drinkables, will be legal in Canada.

Researchers Working to Create Beer with Cannabis Instead of Barley

Posted on May 21, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Researchers Working to Create Beer with Cannabis Instead of Barley

May 21, 2028 – You can smoke it, vape it or bake it, and soon enough you’ll be able to crack open a bottle and drink it.

Researchers and students at Loyalist College’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis in Belleville, Ont., are brewing up a new kind of beer, replacing barley with cannabis, CBC.ca reports.

The college teamed up with Toronto-based company Province Brands of Canada, which makes alcohol-free beer and spirits from marijuana, and for now they’re using hemp in research and product development.

But once cannabis becomes legal, they’ll be able to work with the real thing.

Loyalist professor Kari Kramp told CBC Radio’s Ontario Morning that researchers, students and engineers still have a lot of work to do to create a drinkable product.

And the pressure is on to do it quickly, she said.

Researchers Working on New Kind of Green Beer — with Cannabis

Posted on May 21, 2018 by wpadminLeave a comment

Researchers Working on New Kind of Green Beer — with Cannabis

May 21, 2018 – You can smoke it, vape it or bake it, and soon enough you’ll be able to crack open a bottle and drink it.

Researchers and students at Loyalist College’s Applied Research Centre for Natural Products and Medical Cannabis in Belleville, Ont., are brewing up a new kind of beer, replacing barley with cannabis.

But once cannabis becomes legal, they’ll be able to work with the real thing.

A budding industry

Loyalist professor Kari Kramp told CBC Radio’s Ontario Morning that researchers, students and engineers still have a lot of work to do to create a drinkable product.

And the pressure is on to do it quickly, she said.

“They’re working through the recipe development right now. They’ve done a lot of work ahead of time looking specifically at the details of the process through design of experiment,” she said, adding that there’s a patent pending for the product.

“It’s unique because there are some challenges that are different when you’re working with hemp and marijuana than if you’re working with traditional grains like barley,” she said.

The project, which exists thanks to a grant from the Ontario government, aims to help Province Brands develop a beer it can sell in what’s expected to become a big industry for cannabis products.