NSLC cannabis sales soar, government can’t determine lost revenue to underground market

The NSLC says year-end cannabis sales reached nearly $140 million in 2025.

While the numbers show Nova Scotians are drinking slightly less, cannabis sales continue to climb, up nearly 10 per cent over last year.

The Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation (NSLC) released its year-end financial report that showed total alcohol beverage sales were $759.5 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year, which is down 0.2 per cent.

Meanwhile cannabis sales reached $138.8 million, that represents a 9.3 per cent increase, up from $127 million.

While Nova Scotians are buying more weed, government officials don’t know how much money may be slipping out of view to the underground market.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston told reporters on Thursday the illegal market remains a major concern – not for lost revenue but instead for public health and safety reasons.

“I don’t know how big (the illegal market is) we don’t have the number,” said Houston. “We have some guesses, but they’re only guesses.”

Houston and the government said they know how many shops there are, “and there’s a lot,” he said.

At last count, the province estimates there are more than 100 illegal cannabis shops operating across the province, with many of them operating in First Nations communities.

The province announced in December it was going to crackdown on the underground cannabis market and asked police to increase their enforcement of the Cannabis Control Act.

Houston said he’s thankful for some of the enforcement action taken recently, saying “it’s really important for public safety.”

Justice Minister Scott Armstrong said the clampdown on illegal cannabis remains a priority for his department and suggests the number of RCMP raids on illegal cannabis shops are now into the double digit range this year.

“I have no idea how much revenue is being lost because of the black market,” said Armstrong. “The parallel black market is unregulated. You would have no idea what type of revenue and what type of volume is being sold there. But we do know it’s very high.”

Many Mi’kmaw communities and their leaders have called on the provincial government and police to stop its enforcement and raids happening at cannabis shops in their communities, citing a treaty right to sell the product.

The government maintains that, under current law, the NSLC is the only legal retailer of cannabis in the province.

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