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Most Canadians want more help for cannabis industry: poll

Published on May 2, 2025 by Pat Bulmer

Photo: Adobe Stock/the oz.

Two-thirds of Canadians want the federal government to do more to help the cannabis industry, a new poll shows.

Organigram Global commissioned Abacus Data to conduct the poll.

“Nearly two-thirds of Canadians surveyed (64%) say they are open to the federal government doing more to help the legal cannabis sector grow. This position is backed by clear majorities in every age group,” Organigram said in a news release. “Ten years after Canadians elected a government that legalized cannabis, public opinion has shifted from cautious acceptance to strategic endorsement.

“With Donald Trump’s tariff threats, Canadians are supporting more action from the government to support Canadian industries,” Organigram said.

“Canadians want their country to thrive through innovative, homegrown industries — and cannabis is firmly on that list,” said Beena Goldenberg, CEO of Organigram.

Eighty per cent of Canadians said supporting the cannabis industry was at least “not a bad idea,” David Coletto and Kelly Bennett wrote on the Abacus Data website.

“Those who believed it was a ‘very good idea’ were twice as numerous as those who felt it was a ‘very bad idea,’” the pair wrote.

Twenty-two per cent of poll respondents were against helping the cannabis industry.

“Cannabis may still carry some stigma for a small subset of the population, but most Canadians appear open to the economic opportunities this regulated and legal industry can bring,” Coletto and Bennett wrote.

The poll also tested Canadians knowledge about cannabis: “A key takeaway: many Canadians already recognize that a wide range of cannabis products, from dried flower to edibles and beverages, are produced and sold in Canada. However, there is less widespread awareness of the massive market potential and how substantially the cannabis sector is already contributing to regional economies.”

Support for helping the industry crosses party lines.

“Among people intending to vote Liberal, 68% express openness. Among Conservatives, 64% are open, while 27% object. NDP supporters register 70% in favour, and Green Party supporters climb to 73%.

“There is relatively low political risk for any party or politician who wants to champion cannabis-friendly policies,” Coletto and Bennett wrote. “In practical terms, this could translate into further efforts to remove interprovincial barriers on cannabis sales, reform the excise taxation framework, standardize regulations, and encourage investment in research and development.

“Governments can offer competitive tax or financing programs aimed at cannabis entrepreneurs—particularly in areas hard hit by economic downturns in traditional sectors.”

Since legalization, the Canadian cannabis industry has contributed more than $43 billion to GDP and supports over 80,000 jobs across the country. In 2024 alone, it added $7.4 billion to Canada’s GDP, Organigram said.

Organigram grows cannabis in Moncton, N.B., Lac-Superieur, Que., as well as Aylmer and London, Ont., and makes edibles in Winnipeg. Its brands include Big Bag O’ Buds, Shred, Trailblazer, Boxhot and Debunk.

The survey was conducted April 3-8 with 1,915 Canadian adults randomly chosen from a series of online panels.