High times: Manitoba cannabis stores now outnumber Tim Hortons coffee shops

It might be easier to find cannabis in Manitoba than a double-double.

The province has 154 cannabis stores compared with just over 100 Tim Hortons locations as of April.

Retailers are saying the market has become oversaturated, and they predict store consolidations and closures in the near future. However, it hasn't stopped stores from popping up all over the province.

Winnipeg's newest shop, Mistik Cannabis Co., had their grand opening just over a week ago. Owners Melanie Bevekich and Othmar Joos say they knew Manitoba's market was competitive, and they say they're excited and prepared to be one of the key independent players.

"For us, it was about putting our best foot forward,"  Bevekich said. "Being small and independent is really important to us to really put who we are out there. And then we run our best race and and hope that people support us."

Mistik customers can shop by experience — from non-psychoactive products to deep relaxation, all the way to more energetic products. She says this is what sets them apart from other stores.

Even though there are several other cannabis stores in her area, Bevekich says the reaction to their store opening has been encouraging.

"I think most people are really, really happy to support an independently owned, Indigenous-owned store," Bevekich said. "And of course, the space is beautiful. We've really put a lot of energy into being, you know, carefully planning the shop so that it really caters to all customers."

Delta 9 Cannabis Store, one of Canada's largest cannabis retailers, has 13 locations throughout Manitoba.  

Owner John Arbuthnot says he believes the market is reaching oversaturation, and consumers will be a factor in store closures.

"The approach that we've taken in Manitoba [is] allowing for the free market to essentially dictate who those winners and losers will be," Arbuthnot said.

Delta 9 just announced an agreement with the province to become one of the first licensed cannabis distributors. He believes this will help create more market efficiencies that will see more out-of-province suppliers ship their product to Manitoba.

Thomas Doran and his wife America decided to open a cannabis store in June 2020, when the province opened up licensing for independent retailers. He's trying to come up with a strategy that will help independent stores survive the coming years.

Since they opened Jupiter Cannabis a year ago, the market has become ultra competitive — not only in terms of competing with other independent businesses, but also with big retailers like Delta 9 and Canna Cabana that are constantly expanding.