The numbers are in, and they’re hard to ignore: Canada’s legal cannabis sector is thriving.
A new report from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab reveals that in 2024 alone, the cannabis industry contributed a staggering $16 billion (£9.3b) to Canada’s GDP, while supporting more than 227,000 jobs nationwide.
Commissioned by Organigram Global and titled High Impact, Green Growth: The Economic Footprint of Canada’s Cannabis Industry, the 13-page report tracks the economic ripple effects of legal weed from cultivation and processing right through to retail. The findings are nothing short of remarkable.
- Direct impact: Licensed producers and retailers generated $8.4 billion in GDP and 168,034 jobs.
- Indirect impact: Cannabis’ supply chain (everything from packaging to security) added $4.4 billion and 29,837 jobs.
- Induced impact: The wages spent by those workers on housing, groceries, and everyday living created another $3.2 billion and 29,329 jobs.
That’s nearly $29 billion in total output in a single year, proving cannabis is now a heavyweight player in the Canadian economy.
Ontario leads the way
Unsurprisingly, Ontario is the epicentre, contributing $8.3 billion in GDP and nearly 90,000 jobs. British Columbia and Quebec aren’t far behind, with $2.9 billion and $2 billion contributions respectively. Together, the three provinces account for more than 80% of the total GDP impact.
But the boom isn’t just in the big provinces. Smaller regions like New Brunswick ($1 billion), Saskatchewan ($300 million), and even tiny Prince Edward Island ($162 million) are all benefiting – some with especially strong multipliers, meaning each dollar spent on cannabis drives even more value back into the economy.
A high-value, future-facing industry
Beena Goldenberg, CEO of Organigram, sees the sector as part of a bigger national story:
“The legal cannabis sector is a high-value industry that is already delivering what the Prime Minister’s One Canadian Economy vision calls for: a nationally integrated, high-value industry that’s built in Canada, employing Canadians, and competing globally.”
It’s not just domestic spending either. The report highlights growth drivers like international exports, new product innovations, and evolving regulations as clear signs that Canada’s cannabis experiment isn’t just a flash in the pan.
A lesson for the UK?
This is more than a Canadian success story. It’s a blueprint for how other countries can establish similar industries. In just six years since legalisation, cannabis has gone from black market controlled to an economic boon that rivals many traditional industries.
Meanwhile, here in the UK, billions of pounds still flow through the illicit market, untaxed and unregulated, while patients face stigma and limited access. If Canada can generate $16 billion in a single year -and $76.5 billion since legalisation in 2018, I might add – what might the UK be missing out on?
The Canadian model shows that legalisation doesn’t just reduce harm, it creates jobs, fuels innovation, and strengthens economies. It’s high time the UK took note.
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