TORONTO – Nearly six in ten Canadians (59 percent) believe the federal government should do more to support jobs and innovation in the cannabis sector, according to a new nationwide poll. An equal number (59 percent) see the legal cannabis industry as an important part of the Canadian economy.
One in three Canadians (35 percent) also reported having used cannabis in the past six months, indicating cannabis has become more mainstream and socially normalized.
Public opinion shifts toward economic lens on cannabis policy
The poll also revealed Canadians want the federal government to apply a stronger economic lens to cannabis policy, one that recognizes the sector’s role in job creation, innovation, and growth. When asked which areas should be prioritized, respondents pointed to four key priorities:
- Involving economic departments in cannabis decision-making alongside Health Canada.
- Taking stronger action against the illicit market.
- Reducing excise taxes for legal producers.
- Supporting growth in new product categories such as beverages, edibles, and wellness items, signaling comfort with innovation in emerging, non-inhalable formats.
Taken as a whole, the poll’s results indicate Canadians have moved beyond the debate over legalization and now view the legal industry as a legitimate part of the country’s economic and innovation landscape.
Canadians see cannabis as mainstream economic infrastructure
“Canadians are connecting the dots between economic resilience and smart domestic policy,” said David Coletto, chief executive officer at Abacus Data, which conducted the poll on behalf of licensed producer Organigram Inc. “At a time of growing global uncertainty and rising protectionism, Canadians are taking a pragmatic view that growing the legal cannabis sector is one of the ways to strengthen Canada’s economy, create high-value jobs, and build greater industrial independence at home.”
The new poll builds on an earlier economic impact report produced by Organigram in collaboration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s Business Data Lab. According to the report, in 2024 the legal cannabis sector contributed $16 billion to direct GDP, $29 billion in economic output, and more than 227,000 jobs — more than forestry, breweries, or aquaculture.
Abacus conducted the poll online, questioning 2,000 Canadian adults aged 18 and older from June 25 to July 2, 2025. Respondents were invited randomly from partner panels based on the Lucid exchange platform, with data weighted according to the latest census figures for age, gender, and region to ensure a representative national sample. Nineteen times out of twenty, a probability sample of this size has a margin of error of ±2.19 percentage points. Totals may not sum to 100 due to rounding.
How Canadians want federal cannabis policy to evolve
Why do most Canadians now view cannabis as an economic issue instead of just a regulatory one?
Polling shows cannabis normalization has shifted public opinion from health-only oversight toward economic policy. Canadians increasingly associate the industry with job creation, innovation, tax revenue, and domestic growth, similar to other mainstream sectors.
What government actions on cannabis do Canadians most want to see?
Respondents prioritized reducing excise taxes, involving economic development ministries in cannabis decision-making, curbing the illicit market, and supporting innovation in new product formats like beverages and wellness goods.
How large is Canada’s legal cannabis sector today?
According to separate economic reporting referenced in the survey, the legal industry generates more than $16B in direct GDP and $29B in total output, and supports more than 227,000 jobs — larger than forestry, breweries, or aquaculture.
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