Canadian cannabis company Organigram is anticipating voluntary and non-voluntary layoffs, as well as a slowdown in production and packaging as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The New Brunswick-based producer is currently “managing its production and staffing levels at its Moncton facility – where not all functions can be addressed remotely – to protect the health of its employees and the community,” it said in a press release Monday.

“The company currently expects that its workforce will be materially reduced as a result of voluntary and company-imposed temporary lay-offs to facilitate adequate social distancing while the COVID-19 situation lasts,” Organigram stated.

“This will result in corresponding production and packaging reductions.”

The company added that it is too early to say how many staff might be laid off, or how much production might be affected.

In the same press release, Organigram said its licenses for standard cultivation, standard processing and sale for medical purposes were renewed by Health Canada.

The federal health department also approved the licensing of the remainder of its Phase 5 expansion, Organigram said.

Health Canada’s Cannabis Directorate is reducing on-site field inspections until the end of the month due to the pandemic, according to one producer.

Toronto-based Lift also announced layoffs due to the pandemic. Last week the cannabis conference company said it temporarily laid off a number of employees.

Shares of Organigram are traded on the TSX and Nasdaq stock exchanges. 

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Originally posted on via Cannabis Industry News