Staff Report from MJBiz Daily January 2 2024
High Tide has opened the doors for its Canna Cabana cannabis store on the Tsuut’ina Nation in the province of Alberta.
It’s only the fourth province-approved adult-use cannabis store on or adjacent to a reserve in the province, according to a spokesperson for the Alberta Gaming, Liquor & Cannabis (AGLC).
The other three are:
- 7 Points Cannabis in Enoch Cree Nation.
- Green Nation Naturals in the vicinity of Maskwacis territory.
- 4Hoots in Sucker Creek First Nation.
Alberta has 750 legal cannabis stores, meaning only about half of 1% of the province’s marijuana providers are located in Indigenous communities.
MJBizDaily previously reported that entrepreneurs in Indigenous communities are significantly underrepresented within Canada’s cultivation and retail cannabis segments.
Earlier this year, only 24 provincially authorized recreational cannabis stores were situated on First Nations reserves, or 0.7% of the provincially regulated marijuana retailers in Canada.
The Tsuut’ina store is High Tide’s 160th Canna Cabana-branded retail location in Canada and the 78th in Alberta.
The Alberta-based company said the Tsuut’ina outlet will serve the Tssut’ina Nation community as well as residents of southwest Calgary and surrounding rural communities.
“This store builds upon our existing partnerships with First Nations communities in Manitoba, including the Opaskwayak Cree Nation and the Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation. I look forward to announcing a slew of additional store openings before the New Year,” CEO Raj Grover said in a statement.
Also, High Tide said last week it is opening its first location in Mississauga, Ontario, the sixth-largest city in Canada by population.
In April, the Mississauga City Council voted to allow legal cannabis retail stores to set up shop within the city.
“Being Ontario’s third largest city, the Mississauga market presents us with a lucrative revenue and growth opportunity for both High Tide and our Canna Cabana brand, given its size and scale,” High Tide CEO Raj Grover said at the time.
A map of Ontario’s cannabis stores is available here.
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