Following Prime Minister Mark Carney’s election victory, the Cannabis Council of Canada called on the new government to “address glaring gaps and shortcomings in the legal cannabis industry.”
In a statement, Paul McCarthy, president of the Cannabis Council of Canada, said, “With a new government in office, it’s time for action. The cannabis industry deserves the same attention and support as any sector of our economy.”
“Canada likes to position itself as a global leader in legal cannabis – but since legalization in 2018, the federal government has failed this industry and the tens of thousands of hardworking Canadians it supports.” — McCarthy in a press release
The council is calling for tax reforms, describing the current framework as “completely misaligned with today’s market realities,” noting that at the launch of the legal market in 2018, cannabis sold for $10 per gram, but today, producers are seeing about $3 per gram. Yet, the excise tax remains greater than 10% of the product’s value or $1 per gram. The council is calling on the new government to eliminate the $1 per gram floor and replace it with a 10% ad valorem rate – a fixed percentage based on the value of the goods, as determined by the invoice cost – which was proposed by the Standing Committee on Finance last year.
The group is also urging lawmakers to “eradicate the criminal forces from the industry,” noting that illegal cannabis sales comprise between 25% and 40% of total cannabis sales in Canada and pointed to recent Government of Canada laboratory testing that found 94% of illegal cannabis products contained pesticides. The council suggests a strategy that includes shuttering unlicensed storefronts and online sales, intercepting shipments of illegal product, and launching a public awareness and education campaign on the dangers of supporting the unregulated market.
The council is also calling for a national, single excise stamp for cannabis products, calling the current system, wherein each province and territory requires its own unique cannabis excise stamp, a “significant burden” on the industry.
Since legalization, the cannabis industry has contributed over $43 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product, with approximately $7.4 billion contributed in 2024 alone, the group said. A recent survey found 57% of Canadians view cannabis as important to the country’s economy, and another 62% said it could play a more significant role in the future economy.
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