Legislation

The New Brunswick cannabis industry has a government-run distribution model. Following the federal legalization of Canada in 2018 through the Cannabis Act, New Brunswick introduced its own legislation complementary to the federal law: the Cannabis Control Act, Cannabis Management Corporation Act and Cannabis Education and Awareness Fund Act to regulate the cannabis industry in its province.

A Crown corporation Cannabis NB was established as the only legal recreational cannabis retailer, regulated by the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation. It opened its first stores on October 17, 2018, in 20 locations.

The province’s laws establish that individuals aged 19 and above can possess up to 30 grams of dried cannabis in public and there is no limit on possession in a private residence. Individuals aged 19 and above can also grow up to 4 cannabis plants per household as long as they are sourced from Cannabis NB.

On November 30, 2021, Finance Minister Ernie Steeves introduced Bill 79 (An Act Respecting the Retail Sale of Cannabis) that permits Cannabis NB – the existing provincial cannabis regulator, distributor, and retailer – to expand its model through private retail stores and direct-from-producer FarmGate operations. The bill passed third reading in the House in March 2022 and received royal assent in April 2022.

The FarmGate program allows licensed New Brunswick cannabis producers to sell their own cannabis products on-site at their establishments. This offers an opportunity for local licensed producers to educate customers about their products and create a unique customer experience. Producers wishing to participate in the program should submit an application to Cannabis NB.

Private recreational cannabis retailers must purchase their products from Cannabis NB, entering into a service agreement with it or a subsidiary of the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation.

The first private cannabis store opened in summer of 2023.

Private Retail License

An individual wishing to operate a private cannabis store must submit an application to the Minister of Health (Minister).

The Minister may conduct personal and financial background investigations of the applicant and any associated person.

The Minister sets the term of the license and the fee for it.

New Brunswick Market Stats

Cannabis NB offers 279 different cannabis products and this variety is second only to the Ontario province.

New Brunswick’s cannabis industry generated about $68.2 million of sales in 2020, which was 69.2% up from 2019 and amounted to about 2.6% of the legal cannabis consumed in Canada. In 2021, sales reached $80.5 million and then climbed to $80.6 million in 2022. They then rose by 10.2% to $88.8 million in 2023 and further by 10.2% to $97.9 million in 2024, peaking in August at $9.5 million. From January to April 2025, already $30 million worth of cannabis has been sold by cannabis retailers in New Brunswick according to Statistics Canada. Since October 2018, New Brunswick’s cannabis retail sales have reached $494 million.

The majority of cannabis products sold were dried flower (50.6%), followed by concentrates (32.2%) and edibles (7.4%) according to its Annual Report FY 2023-2024. Dried flower share is down by 1.9 percentage points from 2022-2023, demonstrating that consumers are starting to prefer concentrates and edibles.

As of April 2025, there were 27 public cannabis retail stores, 10 private cannabis retail stores and 7 FarmGate locations in New Brunswick. Cannabis NB has announced three new store openings which would bring the number of provincially run cannabis stores to 30.

In its 2024-2026 Strategic Plan, Cannabis NB announced that it would like to increase opportunities for private sector participation in the legal cannabis market in New Brunswick as well as explore the possibility of offering on-site consumption opportunities. Compared to cannabis markets in larger provinces like Ontario and Alberta, New Brunswick’s market is less saturated with retail stores and therefore has more opportunity for expansion.

Source: cannabusinessplans.ca.

New Brunswick Cannabis Market Infographics

Cannabis Nursery Business Plan Sample, New Brunswick

Cannabis business plan templates for Canada are also available at cannabusinessplans.ca.