Statistics Canada has released sales data covering the first 11 months of legalization in the country.
According to the agency, Canadians spent $24 per capita on legal, non-medical cannabis and a total of $908-million between Oct. 17, 2018 and Sept. 2019.
Yukon led the country in sales per person at $103, followed by Prince Edward Island at $97, while BC had the lowest sales per person at $10.
Statistics Canada also said that as of July, there were 407 cannabis stores across the country, nearly double the amount that opened four months earlier.
The retail #cannabis market in Canada: Retailers of legal cannabis established more than 400 brick-and-mortar stores and recorded $908 million in online and in-store sales in the first 12 months of legalization. 🏬 https://t.co/F11ems0GVA #cdnecon pic.twitter.com/Hx0XRWKPhE
— Statistics Canada (@StatCan_eng) December 11, 2019
Alberta is home to the most cannabis stores, followed by Ontario, however, only 45% of Canadians live within 10 kilometres of a pot shop.
According to financial services company Cowen and Co., the total number of brick and motor cannabis stores has jumped to 542 as of December.
National sales numbers remain well below initial market predictions, some of which claimed cannabis sales would eclipse $4-billion in Canada.
StatsCan data shows that the illicit market still represents between 70% and 80% of all cannabis sales in the first year of legalization.
