Cannabis Cultivators of British Columbia (CCBC) is a provincial industry association representing the interests of federally licensed cannabis growers across the province—from outdoor to greenhouse operators and craft producers. CCBC advocates for policies that enable sustainable, quality-focused cultivation, and regulatory fairness. Its work focuses on achieving full agricultural recognition for cannabis, improving market access and competitiveness, and ensuring that BC producers can thrive within the legal framework while contributing meaningfully to rural development, public health, and the province’s global cannabis reputation.
In 2024, Canada’s legal cannabis sector generated nearly $29 billion in total economic output, contributing $16 billion to national GDP and supporting over 230,000 jobs—figures that rival the economic footprint of dairy and automotive sectors. At the heart of this supply chain are cultivators, who serve as the industrial rootstock of the industry. Production activity alone accounts for approximately 90% of the sector’s GDP contributions, underscoring cultivators’ foundational role in value-added activity and employment.
British Columbia is a national leader in cannabis production, with over 200 licensed producers responsible for 25% of Canada’s legal output. Yet despite this dominance, the province remains under-leveraged internationally, contributing just 14% of cannabis exports. The sector has accomplished this growth organically and without any access to U.S. markets, which remain closed due to federal prohibition. This trade barrier creates a unique opportunity for Canada—and BC in particular—to develop a tariff-insulated export economy rooted in agriculture, health innovation, and sustainable manufacturing.
With coordinated provincial support, BC producers are well-positioned to displace illicit sales, grow international market share, and cement the province’s leadership in the global cannabis economy.
SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS:
- The BC government formally recognize cannabis as a priority economic sector and ensure equitable access to established provincial economic development programs.
- Establish a provincial cannabis designation guarantee of product origin, reinforcing consumer trust, and positioning BC cannabis for long-term competitiveness and global leadership.
- Harmonize Canada’s cannabis excise stamp system into a single national stamp to reduce costs, simplify compliance, improve inventory flexibility, and support a stronger, more unified domestic cannabis economy.
- Expand Direct Delivery eligibility to include BC producers of all sizes, reduce the markup structure, and introduce a non-competitive listing model.
- Streamline Canada’s cannabis export framework by reducing export permit wait times and introducing a master export permit system to support BC’s growing export sector, improve global competitiveness, and reduce administrative burden for both producers and regulators.
- Amend the excise duty remittance regime so that taxes are collected at the wholesale distribution level rather than at the point of product transfer—allowing governments to recoup excise revenue in full and on time, while improving administrative efficiency and preventing future arrears.
- Modernize the Producer Retail Store (farm-gate) licensing program to reduce barriers to entry and operations for BC licensed producers, ensuring broader access and equitable participation across the cultivation sector.
- Add federally licensed cannabis cultivation to the list of Qualifying Agricultural Uses under the BC Assessment Act’s Classification of Land as a Farm Regulation—ensuring cannabis is treated equitably alongside other regulated crops and unlocking the full economic potential of the ALR for legal producers.
- Increase enforcement against illicit cannabis retailers (including online operations), expand public education on the benefits of legal sources, and prosecute operators outside the legalized framework to protect consumers, strengthen the regulated market, and displace illicit supply.
- Modernize rules for non-activated cannabis products to reduce costs, support accessibility, and align with real-world risk.
- Exempt sealed, excise-stamped cannabis products from the 30-gram public possession limit to align with legal market realities, support compliance, and reduce illicit market advantages.
Full 2026 Policy Paper here: https://www.cannabiscultivatorsbc.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/2026-01-01-CCBC-Policy-Paper.pdf