Delayed timeline for legal pot 'not all bad' for P.E.I. supplier

P.E.I.'s sole medical marijuana supplier says the recently announceddelay on legal sales isn't all bad news.

In fact, the president of Canada's Island Gardensaidthe delayed timeline is, in some ways, more of a blessing than a burden.

"We've got lots going on, we're in the middle of an aggressive growth strategy for expanding our company so the fact that we are pushed back a couple months is not all bad news," Edwin Jewell said.

• Senate deal on cannabis bill timeline means no sales before August
• Trudeau's Senate point man prepared to limit debate on cannabis bill

Federal Health MinisterGinettePetitpasTaylorannounced Thursday that the Senate nowplans to vote on the cannabis billon or before June 7, a month later than anticipated,and that provincial governments would needeight to 12 weeksafter its approval toprepare for retail sales.

If the Senate votes and approves the bill on June 7 without suggesting amendments, which could delay the process more Canadians will likely have to wait until at least August for legal cannabis.

'We'll have no trouble filling in our time'

Jewell said forming this type ofcannabis legislation isn't"as simple as falling off a rock" so he isn'tsurprised by the delay.

"Obviouslywe'd like it to happen in July as anticipated but we have lots to do in the meantime and we'll have no trouble filling in our time between now and then for sure," he said.

The new timeline gives the company more time to polish their product, he said, and focus on the $20Mcompany expansion announced in January.

"When they push the timeline back a little bit it gives you a little more time to make sure your packaging is right [and] your branding is where you want it to be" he said.

"There's a whole array of things that have to be looked at when you're taking a product to adult recreation use in a reasonably short period of time."

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |New P.E.I. inn caters to 'spoiled rotten' dogs
• MORE P.E.I. NEWS |Elvis Stojko on P.E.I. to inspire a new generation