How Does Cannabis Tourism Impact Canada’s Economy?

What Is Cannabis Tourism?

A Case for Cannabis Tourism in Canada

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Trends Supporting a Cannabis Tourism Industry in Canada:

Canada is in a unique position to emerge as a global leader in providing opportunities for responsible cannabis tourism and hospitality within a federally legal framework.

Cannabis tourism in the US is valued at $17 billion (Forbes 2022)

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  • In 2022, the cannabis industry contributed $43.5 billion to Canada’s GDP and generated an estimated $15.1 billion in Canadian tax revenues, of which $3 billion came from Ontario (Deloitte 2022).

  • The adult-use recreational cannabis market was valued at $2.6 billion in 2020 (Statistics Canada, 2020) and is forecasted to reach a worth of $8.62 billion by 2026 (Conway, 2021).

  • 70% of Canadians support legal cannabis (Anderson & Coletto, 2018), which points towards a significant trend in normalization.

American Trends in Cannabis Tourism

Despite cannabis being federally illegal in the United States, cannabis tourism in the country has been valued at $17 billion (not including employment) (Forbes 2022). Tourists in the US spending money at dispensaries are estimated to have contributed an additional $12.6 billion to restaurants, hotels & attractions at the destination. Significantly, this is non-cannabis-related spending. It is also estimated that up to $4.5 billion in legal cannabis sales were driven by tourists and that the typical cannabis tourist spends an estimated $300-$400 at dispensaries during their visit. 

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