A new Headset report looks at the legal cannabis markets for four of Canada’s biggest markets in February 2022: Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, Saskatchewan. Read on for a pulse check of these provinces.
Alberta
Total cannabis sales in February were $52.2 million, a year over year sales growth of -2%. The total basket count was 1.3 million with an average basket size of $39.36. The top 10 Canadian brands made up 33% of the market in terms of sales dollars.
Despite the drop in sales growth, Alberta has consistently had a strong store count relative to other provinces, resulting in strong per capita sales figures. Four years after the legalization of recreational cannabis, the Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) is forecast to turn a $7 million profit on cannabis in 2022-23.
British Columbia
Total cannabis sales in February were $46.7 million, a year over year sales growth of 26%. The total basket count was 1.1 million with an average basket size of $39.69. The top 10 Canadian brands made up 36% of the market.
Dried flower reigns supreme in the British Columbia market, making up 47.8% of the market share in 2021, but pre-rolls also do well.
Ontario
Total cannabis sales in February were $138.4 million, a year over year sales growth of 60%. The total basket count was 3.1 million with an average basket size of $44.60. The top 10 Canadian brands made up 39% of the market.
Since 2020, all ages groups in Ontario have bought significantly more cannabis than the prior year. But the Gen Z age group is the fastest growing group with sales more than doubling (137%) from November 2020 to November 2021.
The Flower category is also growing in this age group. Gen Z males increased their spending by 152% on the Flower category between November 2020 and November 2021, and Gen Z females increased their spending by 130% in the same time period.
Saskatchewan
Total cannabis sales in February were $12.4 million, a year over year sales growth of 4%. The total basket count was .2 million with an average basket size of $42.60. The top 10 Canadian brands made up 31% of the market.
With 139 stores as of February 2022, Saskatchewan more than doubled its stores in 2021, going from 57 stores in January to 120 in December 2021. But in December, the province’s retail sales experienced minuscule growth, after slow and steady growth throughout 2021.