Canada’s wholesale cannabis industry is experiencing a noticeable slowdown in activity, signaling a shift from the explosive growth seen in the early years following legalization. According to the latest data from Statistics Canada, wholesale sales, prices, and volumes for cannabis merchant wholesalers dropped significantly in April 2025, continuing a downward trend that began after the market’s record highs in 2024.
In April 2025, total wholesale cannabis sales fell to $508 million, a sharp drop from $541 million the previous month and $544 million in April 2024. The highest sales figures were recorded in February and August of 2024, followed by several consecutive months of decline. The wholesale cannabis market dropped to $247 million in April 2025, down from $260.8 million in March and $255.3 million in April the previous year.
Inventories held by wholesale cannabis also declined slightly to $276.8 million, though inventory levels have generally remained steady since early 2023 with expected month-to-month fluctuations.
Despite these declines in wholesale cannabis performance, provincial sales figures in major markets like Ontario, British Columbia, and Quebec show modest increases, indicating that retail demand remains relatively stable. Since August 2024, year-over-year retail cannabis sales have risen each month, even though some months previously showed month-over-month declines. Retail cannabis sales have mostly hovered between $400 and $500 million monthly over the past two years, reflecting a more mature and plateauing market.
Production trends further illustrate the divide between the licensed and unlicensed sectors. Licensed cannabis production rose by 10.6% year-over-year from March 2024 to March 2025 and increased by 1.2% between February and March 2025. In contrast, unlicensed production decreased by 4.5% over the year and 0.2% month-over-month.
Licensed cannabis retailers also saw modest growth, with a 4.7% year-over-year increase in store numbers from March 2024 to March 2025, although there was a slight 0.2% drop from February to March 2025. Unlicensed stores declined by 4.4% and 0.1% over the same periods, respectively.
Consumer spending on cannabis in Q1 2025 hit $11.7 billion, compared to $23.2 billion on alcohol and $11.9 billion on tobacco, highlighting cannabis’ solid foothold in the Canadian market. Government revenue from cannabis taxes and trading profits totaled $1.5 billion in Q1 2025, up significantly from $868 million in Q1 2024.
With around 4,000 licensed cannabis stores nationwide, the Canadian cannabis industry appears to be stabilizing, moving from rapid expansion to a more sustainable, competitive phase.
