ETA Canada News

From fast-food counters to self-checkout machines, Canadians are seeing more tipping reminders than ever before—experts say this constant “reminder” is reshaping how people tip. Polls show that 90% of Canadians believe current tipping amounts are too high.

Although data on tipping habits is still limited at the national level, several recent surveys show that Canadians are being asked to tip more often, and how they feel about it, is changing significantly.

According to a 2025 survey by H&R Block Canada, 82% of Canadians say they are now expected to tip in more situations, and 90% believe that tips are too high. The survey also found that nearly 60% of Canadians said they tipped more than a year ago.

Wayne Smith, a professor of hotel and tourism management at Metropolitan University of Toronto, said the rise in tipping rates is part of a larger trend often referred to as “tip sprawl.” He told CTV in a Zoom interview, “We’re tipping in more places than traditionally have. This change has fuelled growing discontent among diners and what’s known as ‘tip fatigue.’”

According to another survey of nearly 1,000 Canadians conducted by Research Co. in 2025, about 64% of people aged 55 and older said they “always” tip; 56% of those aged 35 to 54; and 41% of those aged 18 to 34.

While the surge in tipping requests has left many Canadians confused and frustrated, two Canadian experts say the trend is not accidental, but rather shaped by a combination of inflation, technology, and societal expectations. There is a kind of social anxiety.

Smith stated that tipping has become an embedded experience, from food delivery services that rely on tipping to digital payment systems that prompt a fixed percentage. He said, “In the past, the bill was brought to the table, you signed it and left. Now, when you pay with a machine, the person stands next to you and watches, which creates a kind of social anxiety.”

During the pandemic, food delivery apps like SkipTheDishes and Uber Eats became even more indispensable, with tipping being directly embedded in the checkout process. With the proliferation of digital payment terminals, Smith says tipping has become smoother, but also more psychologically stressful. Smith explains that this is known as “social expectation bias”—people feel pressured to be generous when employees watch them choose tipping options.

He said, “You don’t see the money being passed from the table, which is the easiest way to increase tips without thinking.” Marc Mentzer, a professor at the Edwards School of Business at the University of Saskatchewan, also agrees that digital cues have fundamentally changed consumer behaviour. “Everywhere you go, they hand you a chip card reader,” Mentzer told CTV. “In my experience, the minimum tipping option is almost always higher than 15%, and it varies a lot from restaurant to restaurant.”

Data released by Statistics Canada in January and provided to CTV shows that in 2024, approximately 1.2 million employees—6.9% of the workforce—received tips or commissions, with the accommodation and food services industry having the highest proportion at 43.1%.

A spokesperson for Restaurants Canada stated in an email to CTV that “the suggested tip amount should be calculated based on the pre-tax subtotal” to ensure that customers are tipping based on the cost of the service rather than taxes.

Some Canadian businesses have eliminated tipping and switched to paying a living wage to alleviate customer dissatisfaction with the tipping culture. However, both Smith and Mentzer argue that the reality is far more complex. A key issue in the tipping debate is the gap between the statutory minimum wage and the so-called “living wage.” Advocates argue that workers need a living wage to cover basic expenses, and that the two concepts are not interchangeable.

As of 2025, the federal minimum wage for employees under federal regulation will be $17.75 per hour, applicable to industries such as banking, airlines, and federally regulated transportation.

Each province sets its own minimum wage: Ontario’s general minimum wage will increase to $17.60 per hour on October 1, 2025; British Columbia ‘s general minimum wage will be $17.85 per hour (effective June 1, 2025); Quebec’s will be $16.10 per hour; and other provinces will generally range from $15 to $18 per hour, depending on the jurisdiction.

In comparison, the calculated living wage is much higher. For example, the Ontario Living Wage Network estimates that the average hourly wage in the GTA is around $27.20, while in most smaller communities it is between $21 and $27 per hour, depending on local rents and costs. Why is this disparity related to tips? When base wages are low, employers and industry models have historically relied on customer tips to supplement employee income.

Advocates like Smith argue that shifting to a “wage-inclusive” model—where employers pay employees a living wage directly, with higher menu prices—can eliminate the arbitrary and emotionally driven element of tipping and lead to more stable income.

Mentzer said, “There is a widespread belief that customers will make up the difference between the wages paid by employers and the compensation employees deserve.” But Mentzer said that raising wages would not necessarily eliminate tipping. He pointed to Ontario as a key example.

In 2022, the province eliminated its lower minimum wage for bartenders and raised their basic hourly rate by several dollars. Mentzer stated that if any province is going to see a decline in tips, it will be Ontario. “The result had no impact,” Mentzer said. “Waitresses were getting more money through the minimum wage,” meaning the base wage increased, but customers were still tipping at roughly the same rate. Even more surprisingly, Mentzer stated that the provinces with the lowest minimum wage often also have the lowest tipping rates.

The higher tipping rates are also compounded by rising menu prices. However, Mentzer stated that the price increases have not slowed down tipping behaviour. He said, “The tipping rate is gradually increasing, but not as fast as restaurant prices.”

According to Statistics Canada, the Consumer Price Index for food at table service restaurants rose by 3.3% in 2024, driven primarily by labour, raw material, and operating costs. Even as overall inflation began to slow, restaurant prices continued to rise.

In October 2025, Canada’s overall inflation rate was 2.2%. During the same period, food price inflation was 3.4%, meaning food prices have outpaced overall inflation for nine consecutive months.

Menu price inflation was particularly steep during the pandemic. According to Restaurants Canada, the peak menu inflation rate in 2024 was approximately 5% to 5.6%, driving up the cost of dining in for Canadians. At the same time, the weight of food in the CPI basket is also rising. In 2024, food will account for 16.72% of the inflation basket, up from 16.13% a year earlier. Of this, food purchased at restaurants will account for 5.90%.

As menu prices rise, even if tip rates remain unchanged, the absolute number of tips expected from diners continues to increase, exacerbating their already felt financial burden.

Mentzer said that ordinary customers might be surprised by how the tips are distributed. For example, in Ontario, the Employment Standards Act explicitly prohibits employers from withholding tips or requiring employees to hand over tips—unless there is a legally recognized tip pool. The key point is that under this system, employers, directors, or shareholders are generally not allowed to participate in the tip pool unless they are substantially performing the same work as the employees who receive tips.

The law does not require tip pool arrangements to be established in writing, nor does it require employees to vote. In British Columbia, under the BC Employment Standards Act, employers are not allowed to withhold employees’ tips unless they are redistributed through a tip pool. Furthermore, employers can only participate in the tip pool if they perform the same frontline work as their employees. This limits the so-called “in-store commission,” where management takes a cut for kitchen or non-service positions.

In Quebec, tip sharing, or a “tip pool,” is legal, but only on a voluntary basis and with the consent of most employees who typically receive tips. Employers cannot enforce tip sharing—these policies must be freely accepted, not imposed.

Mentzer said, “The average customer is unaware of how tips are redistributed behind the scenes and might be surprised. You think you’re giving money to the waiter, but you’re giving money to many other people.”

Since President Trump took office, Canadians’ anxieties about the economic outlook have been steadily rising, and this anxiety appears to be intensifying further as we enter 2026. A recent poll shows that nearly 80% of respondents believe Canada is in recession, and almost 60% believe the job market will be even more challenging in 2026.According to the local English-language newspaper, the Toronto Star, Pollara Strategic Insights recently conducted its annual economic outlook survey, asking Canadians for their views on the economic prospects of the United States and Canada.

A survey shows that Canadians are increasingly pessimistic about the U.S. economy since Trump took office. A staggering 65% of respondents expect the U.S. economy to worsen this year, the most pessimistic forecast since the 2009 global financial crisis (when it was 68%). In contrast, only 27% of respondents expressed similar concerns in 2025, when Biden is in office.

Pollara’s Chief Strategy Officer, Arnold, pointed out: “Even if Trump did not intend to harm Canada, people still believe that his decisions in the United States could affect the U.S. economy, and problems in the U.S. economy would have a negative impact on Canada.” This uncertainty is causing anxiety among the Canadian public. The survey shows that the policies of the US president will continue to influence Canadian domestic politics. Arnold stated that the psychological effect of Prime Minister Carney and Ontario Premier Ford leveraging concerns about “Trump and tariffs” to win support in last year’s federal and provincial elections continues.

In specific forecasts for the Canadian economy, 61% of respondents believed the economy would worsen by 2026, and 59% worried about a deteriorating employment situation. Meanwhile, 59% anticipated a global economic downturn, and 41% feared a stock market decline.

A Pollara survey shows that 79% of respondents believe Canada is in a recession, up from 70% in 2025.Although in economics, a recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth, as Arnold stated, “The public judges the economy not just by looking at the data, but by whether life has become difficult, whether prices have risen, and whether it is possible to maintain an ideal standard of living.”

Public concern about the cost of living was equally evident: 57% of respondents were at least moderately worried about U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminium, automobiles, and lumber; 67% were worried about rising food and grocery prices; 56% were worried about housing costs; 44% were worried about gasoline prices; and 42% were worried about income tax burdens.

Regarding household income, 43% of Canadians expect their household income to lag their spending this year, up from 40% in 2025, but down from 46% in 2024 and 50% in 2023. Similarly, 43% believe their income will keep pace with their spending, up from 42% in 2025, 38% in 2024, and 33% in 2023. Only 7% expect income to outpace spending, down from 9% in 2025 and 8% in 2024, and 10% in 2023.

This survey was conducted from November 18 to 26, involving an online questionnaire of 2,500 people nationwide, using the Dynata and Leger online panel. Although the online sample does not allow for the calculation of strict error, the error is estimated to be approximately plus or minus 2 percentage points (95% confidence level) based on random sampling.

A serious dog attack occurred in Shelburne County, Nova Scotia. A teenager was attacked by three large dogs while riding his bicycle past a house and later died from his injuries. The incident occurred near the 100 block of Upper Sandy Cove Road in Welshtown at approximately 5:10 p.m. last Saturday. Police, Emergency Medical Services (EHS), and firefighters responded quickly to the scene, and the injured dogs were subsequently airlifted to Halifax Hospital for treatment. The three dogs involved were euthanized by a veterinarian afterward.

CTV News confirmed that the teenager succumbed to his injuries. The Tri-County Regional Centre for Education later issued a statement confirming that the deceased was an eighth-grade student at Shelburne Regional High School. In a statement, the Education Centre expressed its deepest condolences to the family, relatives, and students and teachers affected by the incident, noting that the loss has had a significant impact on the school and the wider community.

In response to the psychological impact of the incident, the education department stated that starting Tuesday, psychologists and counsellors have been deployed to Shelburne Regional High School and several surrounding schools to provide support services to students and staff. These professionals will meet with classes and individuals, provide spaces for discussion, and will continue to offer these resources in the coming days.

The statement emphasized that the school would continue to be committed to creating a safe and caring learning environment and will continue to pay attention to and respond to the actual needs of the community as it faces this significant loss together.

Police confirmed the teenager’s death but declined to provide further details, and the investigation is ongoing. Reference links: https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/nova-scotia/article/ns-youth-dies-from-injuries-after-being-attacked-by-dogs-in-shelburne-county/

https://www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/tri-county-vangaurd/shelburne-rcmp-investigating-life-threatening-dog-attack-on-youth

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) announced on December 24 that 23 people have been infected with food poisoning caused by E. coli O26, which has been linked to recalled Pillsbury brand Pizza Pops, and five have been hospitalized.

Cases were reported between early October and late November 2025 and are spread across seven provinces. PHAC believes the actual number of cases is higher.

On December 21, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recalled several pepperoni and bacon flavor Pizza Pops due to suspected E. coli O26 contamination. Because bacteria cannot be killed in frozen foods, it has been pointed out that contamination during the manufacturing process may have been distributed nationwide.

The recall includes Pizza Pops Pepperoni + Bacon (30 pizza snacks), Pepperoni + Bacon (8 pizza snacks), Supremo Extreme Pepperoni + Bacon (30 pizza snacks), and FRANK’s RedHot Pepperoni + Bacon (4 pizza snacks), all of which have a best-by date of June 2026.

Eating food contaminated with E. Coli O26 can make people sick, even if it looks or smells the same. Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, mild to severe abdominal cramps, and watery to bloody diarrhea. In severe cases, the bacteria can cause convulsions, stroke, the need for blood transfusions or kidney dialysis, permanent kidney damage, and even death.

Authorities are urging people to seek medical advice if they become ill after eating the recalled products, to check their freezers to see if any of the affected products are in their refrigerators, not to eat, sell, distribute or use the affected products, and to discard or return any of the affected products to the store where they were purchased if they have them.

With the continuous advancement of DNA analysis technology, breakthroughs have been made in several decades-old cold cases in Quebec in the past year, bringing a turning point to the investigation of long-unsolved cold cases. Marie-Chantale Desjardins, only 10 years old, was murdered north of Montreal in 1994. On the day of the incident, she disappeared while riding her bicycle home from a friend’s house.

Four days later, police found her badly injured body next to a tree nearby. The case remained unsolved for over 30 years. This year, Real Kurtmarsh was convicted of second-degree murder, with the judge clearly stating that key evidence came from significant technological advancements in the field of forensic biology. Diana Segan, head of the DNA department at the Quebec Laboratory for Forensic Sciences and Justice, said the lab analyses about 50 cold cases each year and has helped police solve 8 to 10 cases in the past one to two years. She pointed out that the breakthroughs mainly come from more sophisticated DNA extraction techniques and “genetic pedigree”—comparing DNA from crime scenes with genetic data uploaded to open databases by the public.

Currently, the laboratory processes 30,000 to 40,000 pieces of physical evidence annually and uploads approximately 4,000 to 5,000 DNA files to the national crime scene DNA database. Whether it’s an old or new case, investigations typically begin with database comparisons, and in some cases, DNA can be re-extracted from evidence that was not tested decades ago.

Genetic pedigree technology has also been used in other cases. Last September, police used the method to identify a suspect in the murder of 26-year-old Catherine Davio, who was killed in Montreal in 2008; Quebec police also filed charges this year in a 1979 home invasion murder case and confirmed the identity of a body found in 1997.

A 10-year-old girl in Canada was brutally murdered; the perpetrator has finally been punished 30 years later. Segan emphasized that genetic pedigree can only provide investigative clues; a final verdict still requires the police to supplement evidence. She hopes that this technology will be used more extensively in ongoing cases to prevent crimes from becoming cold cases over time.

Some experts believe that as DNA technology and database coverage continue to expand, the concept of “cold cases” may gradually decrease in the future.

A murder case involving a same-sex love triangle, violence, and conspiracy has once again drawn attention. At a hearing on Thursday (November 27), 52-year-old Nicola Puddicombe publicly recounted for the first time the details of her 2006 murder of her boyfriend, Dennis Hoy, to persuade the jury to allow her to apply for early parole.

According to the Toronto Star, a local English-language newspaper, the case dates to October 27, 2006, when 36-year-old GO Traffic Officer Dennis Hoy was hacked to death with an axe in his apartment by his live-in girlfriend, Nicola. Nicola was then in a relationship with a woman in her early twenties, Ashley Pochaluk. Prosecutors allege that the two conspired to murder Hoy so they could have a “free-choice relationship” and for Nicola to inherit Hoy’s $250,000 life insurance policy.

At the hearing, Nicola confessed that before the incident, she was deeply entangled in an emotional conflict with her longtime boyfriend Hoy and her new girlfriend Pecharuk and was mentally “exhausted.” In a state of extreme confusion, she finally nodded in acquiescence to Pecharuk’s murder plan.

“One day I said, ‘Okay, let’s do it this way,’” Nicola recalled in court. Although the defence emphasized that the murder plan was devised by Pecharuk and that Nicola only “agreed at the last minute,” the prosecution alleged that the two had been plotting for months and pointed out that Nicola benefited from Hoy’s approximately $250,000 life insurance policy, questioning her motives. Nicola repeatedly denied these allegations.

According to her testimony, Hoy was initially open to her relationship with her supermarket colleague Pecharuk and even expressed interest in a threesome. However, the relationship quickly deteriorated, accompanied by arguments, resentment, and allegations of violence. Nicola described her relationship with Hoy as “abuse-like,” and Pecharuk repeatedly suggested “getting rid of him,” from poisoning to assaulting her with a baseball bat, all of which she refused, but ultimately succumbed to a mental breakdown.

On October 27, 2006, 36-year-old Hoy was struck six times in the back of the head with the blunt end of an axe and lay naked and bleeding on Nicola’s bed. Pecharuk confessed to the police, but his confession was later ruled invalid by the court, and he was ultimately acquitted (the two were tried separately). Nicola, on the other hand, was convicted of first-degree murder in 2009 and sentenced to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole for 25 years.

In her testimony on Thursday, Nicola provided her first detailed account of the night of the attack: she first massaged Hoy to put him to sleep, then summoned Pecharuk, telling him she was going to take a shower and instructing him to proceed as planned. During this time, she smoked in the bathroom and left the tap running to mask the noise. Only when Pecharuk said “It’s over” did she emerge from the bathroom, where she saw bloodstains and an axe on the bed, exclaiming in shock, “You used an axe?” He responded that he had only struck her with the blunt end.

Nicola then called 911, falsely claiming a home invasion. She stated that upon learning Pecharuk was ultimately acquitted while she herself had spent twenty years in prison, she was not angry: “I feel she deserved it. I know I encouraged her.”

Nicola maintained her innocence for years but now admits to playing a key role in the case. “I forced a young girl to do terrible things, and I have to bear the consequences,” she said. “She wouldn’t have done it unless I gave the go-ahead.”

Nicola, now 52, has applied to invoke the “faint hope clause” to seek a reduced sentence and enter the parole process. This clause, applicable to prisoners who have served more than 15 years, allows them to request a jury review. While the clause was repealed in 2011, Nicola was convicted in 2009, so she can still invoke it to seek a reduced sentence.

If the jury unanimously agrees, the inmate can apply to shorten the period of non-parole. Under the original sentence, Nicola cannot apply for parole for the first time until 2032.

The defence emphasized that she completed several courses, secured stable employment, improved her behaviour, and built healthier relationships while in prison. She stated that it was only after her parole application was rejected last year that she truly realized she had to take responsibility.

However, the prosecution insisted that she was the mastermind behind the murder, not only spreading false information to Pecharuk that Hoy was a “Hells Angels member,” “had killed people,” and “abused her,” but also only recently admitting that she allowed and even encouraged Pecharuk to carry out the murder.

The Nova Scotia provincial government has confirmed that the province’s minimum wage will be increased in two phases next year, officially reaching $17 per hour in October 2026. This is the latest adjustment following the continuation of the current adjustment mechanism.

The current minimum wage is $16.50, which is the level after the $1.30 increase in October of this year. According to the timetable released by the provincial government, the minimum wage will first increase by 25 cents to $16.75 on April 1, 2026, and then increase by another 25 cents on October 1 of the same year, reaching $17.

The provincial government stated that the increase was based on the unanimous recommendation of the Minimum Wage Review Board. This board, composed of representatives from both labour and management, advocated continuing to use the established formula of “inflation rate (CPI) + 1%” and implementing it in two phases to give businesses more time to cope with last year’s significant adjustments.

According to provincial government data, minimum wage workers in Nova Scotia are primarily concentrated in the retail, accommodation, and food service industries. Among them, 57% are women, 39% have a college degree or higher, and 38% are over 30 years old; 72% hold permanent positions, and 41% work full-time.

As flu cases continue to rise in Ontario and other parts of eastern Canada , medical experts warn that the flu is not just a common cold and can lead to fatal complications in severe cases. The recent deaths of three children in the Ottawa area due to flu-related complications have drawn significant public attention.

Ottawa Public Health reported Monday that three children, aged between 5 and 9, died from influenza A. These cases come as Ontario and the eastern region are facing a significantly higher number of flu cases this season than in previous years.

Montreal epidemiologist and cardiologist Dr. Christopher Labos points out that influenza can lead to serious multi-system problems, including viral pneumonia complicated by bacterial infection, impaired kidney function, and even kidney failure. In older adults, influenza can also increase the risk of heart disease. He emphasizes that viewing influenza as a “trivial cold” is a dangerous misconception.

Regarding the child’s death, Toronto infectious disease expert Dr. Isaac Bogoch stated that it is currently unclear whether there are other underlying factors, but influenza itself carries a high risk of death. Data shows that influenza causes approximately 400,000 to 500,000 deaths globally each year, and in Canada, approximately 2,500 to 3,500 people die annually from influenza-related illnesses. The risk of severe illness is primarily concentrated in children, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems.

Labos added that the H3N2 strain is the predominant strain circulating in Canada this year, as it is more contagious and more likely to cause severe illness. A similar trend was observed in previous Southern Hemisphere winter flu outbreaks, and it is now gradually becoming apparent in Canada.

Public health data shows that infection rates were particularly high among children aged 5 to 11 in Ontario at the beginning of this month. Experts believe that prolonged indoor gatherings and limited ventilation in schools are significant factors contributing to the spread of the virus.

Regarding prevention, experts unanimously recommend getting a flu shot as soon as possible. Although this year’s vaccine is not a perfect match for the H3N2 strain, it can still effectively reduce the risk of severe illness and complications. Doctors also urge people to stay home and rest if symptoms appear, wear masks on public transportation and in medical facilities, and maintain good hand hygiene.

The latest monitoring report shows that the positivity rate for influenza tests rose to 20.2% in the first week of December, far exceeding the level of the same period last year. Health authorities warn that influenza activity is still rising rapidly, and hospitalizations continue to increase, including at several children’s hospitals.

Amid the ongoing trade war between the US and Canada, the Canadian federal government has officially incorporated “Buy Canadian” into its procurement rules.

Starting December 16, Ottawa is seeing a substantial change in how it spends money on major infrastructure and defence projects.

The federal government stated that the new “Buy Canadian” policy has taken effect, which will prioritize Canadian businesses and Canadian-made products to ensure that more public funds remain in the country to support domestic industries and jobs.

This policy was first announced by Prime Minister Mark Carney in September of this year. At its core, the federal government will prioritize businesses that invest in Canada, employ Canadian workers, and manufacture or innovate domestically when procuring goods and services for large projects. Federal Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound explained that the policy implementation is divided into different phases.

The first phase has been launched, and all federal contracts with a value of CAD 25 million or more must prioritize Canadian companies during the bidding and evaluation process. The policy also sets forth clear requirements for material usage. All federal construction and defence projects valued at CAD 25 million or more must use Canadian-made or processed steel, aluminium, and lumber, provided that basic supply conditions permit.

The government specifically emphasized that “Made in Canada” here does not simply mean sold locally. The relevant materials must be manufactured or processed within Canada, and cannot simply be resold by distributors, to ensure that the federal program truly stimulates demand in Canadian manufacturing.

According to the plan, this procurement rule will continue to expand its scope. Light bond stated that by the spring of 2026, the threshold for prioritizing the purchase of Canadian products will be lowered to federal contracts of CAD 5 million or more, further expanding its coverage.

In terms of its scope, this policy is not limited to a single department. All federal departments and agencies, Royal Incorporated, and federal government grants and subsidies will be included in the “Buy Canadian” procurement framework

.The federal government has indicated that this policy will apply to new major federal projects, housing-related agencies, defence procurement, and federally funded community infrastructure projects, meaning that a large number of public works projects will be affected in the future.

Lightbond stated that through “Buy Canadian,” the federal government is prioritizing Canadian workers and industries in its procurement decisions while ensuring supply chain stability.

The government also noted that the policy comes as the trade war led by US President Donald Trump continues, impacting Canada’s steel, aluminium, and lumber industries. The new rules are seen as a support measure for these industries.

With the policy now in effect, federal procurement rules have changed, and the criteria for who will have an advantage in future large government projects have become clearer.

British Columbia has long been considered Canada ‘s “cannabis capital,” but the latest data shows that this traditionally strong province is being overtaken in cannabis sales by an unexpected rival.

Statistics Canada’s newly updated sales data for September shows that British Columbia’s cannabis sales have lagged Alberta for the 12th consecutive month.

In September, cannabis sales in British Columbia reached $69 million CAD, while Alberta’s reached $81 million CAD, leading by more than $12 million. This result surprised many. After all, British Columbia has long been a benchmark for the Canadian cannabis industry, and the cannabis produced there is highly regarded for its exceptional quality.

In September of this year, total cannabis sales across Canada reached approximately C$474 million. Alberta led the way with C$81 million in sales, followed by British Columbia with C$69 million, and Quebec with C$66 million.

Looking back at the data from August, sales in BC had just exceeded 73 million Canadian dollars, while total national sales had surpassed 500 million Canadian dollars. That month, Alberta had already recorded sales of over $86 million, while British Columbia barely beat Quebec, whose sales that month were just under $70 million.

More notably, for the entire year from October 2024 to September 2025, British Columbia was surpassed by Alberta in every single month of cannabis sales, without exception. September’s sales figures represent a low point for British Columbia, marking the province’s lowest monthly sales since June of this year.

There may be specific reasons behind the decline in sales. This year, British Columbia experienced a strike by the BCGEU union, which has just ended. During the strike, many cannabis stores in British Columbia and the Greater Vancouver area experienced product shortages, with shelves severely depleted.

The impact of this strike on the supply chain is clearly reflected in sales figures. When consumers walk into stores only to find the products they want are out of stock, sales naturally suffer.