Canadian Securities Exchange Welcomes MNP, Aird & Berlis and MGO-ELLO to Open the Market

̶  Event Celebrates Success of the Passport to Canada Alliance  ̶

Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - November 20, 2019) - The Canadian Securities Exchange ("CSE" or "the Exchange") today welcomed MNP LLP, Aird & Berlis LLP and MGO | ELLO to open trading on the Exchange. These three firms, in conjunction with the CSE, comprise the "Passport to Canada Alliance", which provides comprehensive legal, accounting, financial, logistical and listing support to Canadian, U.S. and global companies operating in the cannabis sector.​

The Passport to Canada Alliance will be front and centre at the upcoming MJBizCon conference at the Las Vegas Convention Center on December 11-13, 2019. MJBizCon is the largest gathering of cannabis business professionals in the world and features programming to benefit every sector of the industry. The conference is expected to attract approximately 35,000 attendees from more than 70 countries, including 1,500+ CEOs, 8,000+ executive/c-level professionals, 1,250+ investors and 1,300+ exhibitors.

"This is the second year in a row that the Passport to Canada Alliance will participate at MJBizCon, following on last year's successful event," said Richard Carleton, Chief Executive Officer of the CSE. "Since that time, there has been remarkable growth in the cannabis industry, as the legal framework continues to evolve across U.S. states and other countries around the world. As a result, the Exchange's issuers have experienced a material increase in M&A activity and secondary offerings over last year at this time. At this year's event, we intend to emphasize our superior service offerings for this industry. We are also excited to meet with more international cannabis companies this year, which represent an expanded cohort at the conference."

"The global cannabis industry has undergone stunning growth in recent years, and the next step is expanding profitability," said Glenn Fraser, National Leader, Cannabis Services and Food & Beverage processing at MNP. "We are working closely with clients to develop long-term financial plans that help drive earnings growth and make them more attractive to sophisticated investors."

"Cannabis is one of the most complex and competitive sectors in the world in which to operate, with a rapidly-changing legal and regulatory environment," said Sherri Altshuler, Partner and Co-Chair, Capital Markets and Cannabis Groups at Aird & Berlis. "Navigating the legal nuances effectively is essential to achieving long-term success."

"Cannabis has been an extremely active sector for financing activity, but the pace is slowing relative to 2018 as the industry matures and external forces make go-public transactions less attractive," said Scott Hammon, COO of MGO | ELLO. "Accordingly, it is more important than ever for companies to craft detailed strategic plans before proceeding with a major transaction."

About MNP:

MNP is a leading national accounting, tax and business consulting firm in Canada. We are market leaders in the cannabis sector and possess extensive knowledge of the financial, regulatory and compliance environments that are integral to the success of these businesses. Through partner-led engagements, we provide a collaborative, cost-effective approach to doing business and personalized strategies to help organizations succeed around the world.

MNP entered the cannabis sector in 2013 and has been working with licensed producers, entrepreneurs and investors in the cannabis sector to establish successful enterprises. We represent over 350 cannabis clients and ancillary businesses from Canada, the US, and internationally. We have helped our clients achieve success in the cannabis sector through the go public process, building and implementing strategic frameworks, structuring tax plans to optimize the bottom line, navigating the complex regulatory landscape, and constructing corporate governance structures that comply with the industry's regulatory bodies.

About Aird & Berlis:

Aird & Berlis is proud to be one of Canada's premier business law firms. We provide strategic legal and business advice in all principal areas of business law.

Our knowledge and expertise in corporate finance, corporate governance, tax, corporate structuring, intellectual property, litigation, employment and real estate enable us to provide our clients with the legal services needed to succeed in Canada's cannabis industry.

Aird & Berlis is at the forefront of this rapidly evolving market. We are actively working with clients engaged in the recreational market in Canada. We have substantial experience serving producers, distributors, healthcare organizations and other cannabis industry participants, and we have an excellent grasp of the industry and the needs of our clients.

About MGO | ELLO:

MGO | ELLO provides 360 degrees of financial and advisory services for cannabis, hemp and impacted industries. With over 500 cannabis clients, including the top multi-state operators and largest public companies, we deliver audit, tax, advisory, investment banking and staffing solutions focused on supporting enterprises, investors and government agencies as they navigate the complex dynamics of the marketplace.

Contact:
Richard Carleton, CEO
416-367-7360
richard.carleton@thecse.com

Delegates from Aird & Berlis LLP, MNP, and CSE gathered at the CSE Media Centre in Toronto to open the market and announce the Passport to Canada Alliance for MJBizCon 2019

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