Canada’s favourite licensed producers

Now that we’ve wrapped the first full year of legalization, it’s clear great cannabis is being produced all across Canada. In fact, each of Canada’s top four favourites are based in different provinces–Alberta, New Brunswick, BC, and Ontario, respectively–showing how truly national the industry is.

But it was one brand that emerged as Leafly readers’ top producer, as much a testament to the company’s varied product offerings as to its scientific innovation.

Canada’s favourite licensed producer

Whether through flower or oil, research or retail, Aurora connected with readers across the board. One of the largest cannabis companies in the world seems to have something for everyone, built on a strong backbone of rigorous scientific exploration and “agricultural innovation to improve the cannabis plant,” Michelle Lefler, Aurora’s VP communications & public relations, tells Leafly, adding that “no other company has our deep knowledge and expertise in these areas.”

More of Canada’s favourite licensed producers

Leafly readers love this Moncton, New Brunswick, cannabis brand’s brilliant THC flower, THC prerolls, THC oil, and CBD oil. Each placed first in their respective Readers’ Choice categories.

Aphria’s “small batch” cannabis producer from Vancouver Island grows their plants in single-strain growing rooms that are optimized for each type’s specific needs. Their cool, calm, and creative Galiano strain, a take on Northern Lights, was one of Leafly readers’ favourite THC strains.

The Supreme Cannabis Company brand tied Aurora for the most strains in the favourite THC flower category. Late 2019 expansions into Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador mean the producer is now available across Canada, priming 7ACRES to win over new fans.

The sun is always shining at this Vancouver cannabis company, a passionate advocate for modern greenhouse cultivation.

Located in BC’s Okanagan Valley, the producer was chosen in other categories for its THC and CBD oils.

A fun brand rooted in ’70s stoner lore, the Ontario producer had two of its strains–Tangerine Dream and Pink Kush–chosen as favourite THC flowers by Leafly readers. Both strains have just been launched as vape pens, too.

The BC cannabis producer is proud of its sun-grown crops. Their Pure Sun CBD strain was named as one of Leafly readers’ favourite CBD-dominant flowers.

The producer, based in Smiths Falls, Ontario, has over 4.3 million square feet of indoor and greenhouse cultivation space across Canada. Leafly readers celebrated Tweed in particular for its balanced flower, choosing three balanced strains as favourites, including its popular Penelope strain (Penelope also placed in oil, softgel, and preroll categories). Chocolate edibles and beverages, including the cannabis-infused Penelope and Tonic, launch early this year.

Spinach’s chill-yet-social Dancehall strain was Leafly readers’ favourite balanced flower, but its popularity was most likely hurt by its availability, which is limited to Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. For cannabis tourists, this one is definitely #straingoals.

Grown with no hydroponics or pesticides near Whistler, British Columbia, this is one of the few producers to grow their plants organically. Produced in small batches using local suppliers, their CBD Shark strain was one of Leafly readers’ favourite balanced flowers, though it’s available only in BC, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon.

Ryan Porter

Ryan Porter has spent 15 years as a Toronto-based journalist with bylines in the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, InStyle, and Maclean’s. Recent work and photos of weird signs on Twitter at @MrRyanPorter