F1 GENETICS INC. is a genetics company specializing in cannabis plants, located in the Niagara Region. F1 Genetics targets new and existing cannabis industry players by offering existing and creating new genetics, and performing laboratory analyses mandated by the Cannabis Regulations (2018).

F1 GENETICS was developed as a result of a few key factors:

The desire to improve upon existing genetics
The desire to acquire Plant Breeders Rights on proprietary strains
The market need for more affordable 3rd party laboratory testing

Our Mission

Our mission at F1 GENETICS INC. is to provide the cannabis industry with innovative, highly sought-after genetics, and access to affordable 3rd party laboratory testing.

F1 Genetics has numerous strategic partners, including F1NE Cannabis Cultivation LTD. – a micro-cannabis cultivation company in the Niagara Region; Dr. Alexandra Ficht – a plant geneticist from the University of Guelph; Poncho Canna – Cannabis mogul with proven successes in starting up and operating profitable companies; and Eleanor Canna MSc. – a Regulatory and Compliance Specialist.

Our Roots

F1 GENETICS INC. was a dream dreamt by lifetime cannabis enthusiast, Poncho Canna . When he told his mother at the early age of 16, that he wanted people to know his name to be synonymous with the cannabis industry, she responded with exasperation. Twenty-two years later, that dream is finally becoming a reality.

During the period that cannabis was illegal, Poncho owned and operated a construction company – Fine’s Designs. With his procurement of many key partners, the legalisation of cannabis in Canada, many American states, and numerous countries worldwide, and his love for cannabis, F1 GENETICS INC. was created.

Poncho brings with him a wealth of experience in management in multi-million-dollar operations. Working in management since age 18, Poncho has moved from a small, privately owned home renovation store, to opening and managing 3 Home Depot locations (North York, Bolton, and Oakville), to finally running his own successful contracting company. During his time at The Home Depot, Poncho worked closely with vendors and suppliers to re-work the retail displays. His designs issued him the highest average ticket price, gross margin return, and lowest markdowns than any other store in North America. Most notably, he redesigned the paint department, which to this day, has been instituted in all The Home Depot locations across North America. With new staff work designs and retail displays, Poncho was pinnacle to the continued success of The Home Depot.

After achieving his in-store salary cap with The Home Depot, Poncho decided to open his own contracting company, begin an apprenticeship under an experienced cannabis grower, and create an in-home cannabis retail operation serving over 350 return customers weekly. Over the past 10 years, Poncho has run a successful contracting business while continuing to cultivate his love of cannabis.

Eleanor Canna brings with her a wealth of knowledge in regulatory compliance and quality assurance from her time in the heavily regulated healthcare industry. She holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Waterloo. Eleanor is our key licence compliance officer and application writer and holds close relations with Health Canada. She writes, reviews, updates, and approves all Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to ensure the quality and consistency of F1 GENETICS’s cannabis products and services. Furthermore, Eleanor leads all regulatory affairs working closely with auditors to maintain compliance.

Eleanor also brings with her managerial experience, the most relevant of which from a retirement home. As the manager of the dementia care and assisted living floors, Eleanor successfully opened and operated a retirement home of 300+ residents and 150 staff. Operating under strict regulations by Health Canada, she performed internal audits and assisted external auditors from the representing regulatory body. She also created, reviewed and approved standard operating procedures that increased productivity and efficiency. Working cross-departmentally, Eleanor was able to effectively integrate all staff to create fluid operations resulting in happy and satisfied customers.

Dr. Alexandra Ficht completed her BSc. in 2016 at the University of Toronto in Plant Biology and Genomics. She then went on to complete her MSc. in Soybean Breeding and Genetics at the University of Guelph in 2018. Dr. Ficht then completed her PhD in Winter Wheat Breeding and Genetics at the University of Guelph in Fall 2020. Dr. Ficht has received numerous scholarships, including the OMAFRA Highly Qualified Personnel Award, the Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Award and internal University of Guelph awards. On top of personal academics, she has also taught numerous lab-based genetics and plant physiology undergraduate courses at the University of Guelph.

Dr. Ficht specializes in genetics and plant breeding for agricultural crops. She is well-versed in implementing genomic selection and other breeding methods into currently operative breeding programs, as well as the utilization of bioinformatic methods for uncovering genetic variation present in programs. She has worked primarily with soybean and cereal crops, successfully reducing generation times and increasing protein content. Using this experience, Dr. Ficht looks forward to applying these principles to cannabis.

Our Crowdfunding Goal

F1 Genetics has successfully secured property in Caledon, Ontario and is ready to acquire the required laboratory equipment. A quote has been obtained with Thermo Fisher Scientific; the budgetary proposal outlines the general lab equipment recommended to meet the Health Canada safety standards for cannabis testing for the following testing areas: Potency/ Cannabinoids, Pest Control Products, Pesticides, Mycotoxins, Terpenes, Residual Solvents and Heavy Metals.

Our crowdfunding goal is to raise $100,000 in order to purchase the aforementioned laboratory equipment.