Canada Now Home to Nearly 3,800 Licensed Marijuana Stores: A Look at the Country’s Expanding Retail Market

Ontario continues to dominate the national market, with 48% of all licensed stores. Alberta holds the second spot at 19%, followed by British Columbia at 14%. Saskatchewan leads the country in stores per capita, while Quebec ranks lowest, with just 107 government-run locations serving a population of over 9 million.

Cannabis sales have continued to climb, albeit more slowly than in previous years. According to updated figures from Statistics Canada, retail sales reached an all-time high of nearly $470 million in April 2025, edging past the previous peak in December 2024. By comparison, April 2023 saw $422.5 million in sales, while April 2024 brought in $444.2 million.

Yukon led all jurisdictions in per capita sales value, followed by Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Quebec ranked lowest once again, trailing New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Ontario.

Province-by-Province Overview:

British ColumbiaBC is home to 536 licensed stores, including 497 privately owned locations and 39 BC Cannabis Stores. Vancouver leads with 81 stores, followed by Victoria with 33. The province caps each company at eight retail locations.

AlbertaAlberta lists 714 stores, including 179 in Calgary and 167 in Edmonton. Major chains include Canna Cabana (87 stores), Value Buds (68), and Plantlife Cannabis (39). Alberta allows online sales, with 342 stores approved to participate.

SaskatchewanThere are 194 stores in Saskatchewan, with Saskatoon and Regina hosting 35 and 34 respectively. Fire & Flower is the top retailer with 14 stores.

ManitobaManitoba has 235 licensed stores, 138 of which are in Winnipeg. Top chains include Delta 9 Cannabis (15), The Joint Cannabis (12), Tokyo Smoke (11), and Canna Cabana (10).

OntarioOntario leads with 1,799 stores, including 166 in Toronto, 66 in Mississauga, and 61 in Ottawa. Canna Cabana is the province’s largest chain with 83 stores, followed by True North Cannabis (49), Value Buds (45), and Tokyo Smoke (39).

QuebecThe province has 107 SQDC locations, with 22 in Montreal. Quebec continues to operate a government-only retail model, with the northernmost store located in Sept-Îles.

Atlantic Provinces:

New Brunswick has 48 licensed stores, mostly under the Cannabis NB brand.

Nova Scotia has 50 cannabis-selling NSLC stores, with seven in Halifax.

PEI has five government-run stores.

Newfoundland and Labrador operates 59 stores, with heavy concentration in St. John’s.

Territories:

Yukon has six private retailers, four in Whitehorse.

Nunavut operates three stores—two in Iqaluit and one in Rankin Inlet.

Northwest Territories has four stores and offers online delivery across the region.

Canada’s cannabis market has stabilized after years of rapid growth, with store counts increasing more gradually and monthly sales reaching record highs. The evolving retail landscape continues to reflect the distinct regulatory approaches taken by each province and territory.