Who here feels like they need a new chapter? A fresh start? An opportunity to reset? We feel you on that. Once airports rev up again, we have a few places in mind where you can begin anew—and yes, you'll be able to find cannabis retailers there. Our sheer curiosity led us down a rabbit hole of research to find the Canadian provinces with the most cannabis dispensaries per capita.
When we say per capita, we mean per 10,000 residents. Many factors contribute to the number of dispensaries in each province, such as
- Legalization
- Walkability
- Economy/Economic Finances
- Employment Rates
- Crime Rates
The Number One Spot
Our research first led us to Cannabis Report World, which ranked regions with the most cannabis dispensaries per capita. Since cannabis is legal for recreational use nationwide under the Cannabis Act, Canadian provinces have seen a remarkable boom in licensed retail storefronts. Among them, Alberta has consistently stood out as the province with the highest number of cannabis retailers per capita in Canada — a result of its open, private-sector retail model that allows entrepreneurs to apply for licences with relatively few restrictions on store numbers. Saskatchewan follows closely behind, also operating a fully privatised retail system that has produced a high density of stores relative to its population.
While some of you may have predicted Alberta as the winner given its business-friendly reputation, the strong showing from Saskatchewan might raise a few eyebrows. Both provinces leaned heavily into private retail from the start of legalisation, which allowed storefronts to multiply quickly. British Columbia, despite being home to a long and storied cannabis culture, took longer to ramp up its retail numbers due to a more cautious licensing rollout — though it has been catching up steadily.
At first glance, you might not think of the Prairie provinces as cannabis hotspots. But their streamlined regulatory approaches have made them genuine leaders in retail density, even as other parts of the country continue to scale up.
Provinces With The Fewest Dispensaries Per Capita
As we mentioned earlier, the pace and structure of cannabis retail licensing is a prime contributor to the number of dispensaries in a province. So, it should come as no surprise that provinces with slower or more tightly controlled rollouts have fewer storefronts relative to their populations. That includes…
- Prince Edward Island
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Newfoundland and Labrador
- Manitoba
- Quebec
Would You Ever Open Your Own Dispensary?
As the cannabis retail landscape continues to evolve across the country, the number of dispensaries per capita could shift at any moment! The COVID-19 pandemic proved to be a massive accelerator for cannabis retail, as provincial governments across Canada deemed cannabis retail "essential services."
If access to cannabis feels limited in your city or province, why not open your own dispensary? Yes, it would be a massive undertaking, but it's no different than any other business. Media outlet BPlans spoke to Mitch Woolhiser, owner of Northern Lights Cannabis Company, about his journey opening a cannabis dispensary.
"It's one of the hardest things you could possibly do," he says. "It can't just be this fun thing. It has to be taken seriously. It's still at the ground floor of the whole thing, considering the regulatory complexity of it. It's still a good time to get in."
How To Open Your Own Dispensary
Okay, so according to Mitch, opening your own dispensary takes a lot of work—but it's totally possible given Canada's nationwide legalisation under the Cannabis Act. We already know that cannabis is a billion-dollar industry in Canada. Even the CBD industry brings in millions of dollars each year. To open your own dispensary, Mitch recommends the following steps…
- Do your research on cannabis laws in your province
- Find a compliant rental property (can't be near a school or other restricted zones)
- Write your business plan (access capital and set your budget)
- Look into the competition of nearby dispensaries (a market search)
- Get licensed through your provincial regulator…and then get product
- Market the living hell out of your dispensary
We Should See More Dispensaries In The Future
Thankfully, the future of cannabis retail in Canada looks brighter than ever. Even during a global pandemic, people want their cannabis! In fact, it was during the COVID-19 outbreak that dispensaries saw record-breaking sales from coast to coast. The need for cannabis is there, so go after it! If you're not the dispensary-owning type, you could always consider relocating to a province with the most dispensaries per capita.