Calgary's Cannabis Titan: High Tide's Banner Year and What It Means for Your Neighbourhood

While you were busy navigating Deerfoot Trail or grumbling about the latest property tax assessment, Calgary-based High Tide Inc. was quietly, or not so quietly, making waves – big waves – in the cannabis world. This local powerhouse, behind the ubiquitous Canna Cabana stores you see popping up from Ward 11 to the far reaches of the city, just closed out a 'transformational' 2025, and their growth spurt has some serious implications for your daily grind and local economy.

Let's get down to brass tacks: High Tide isn't just growing; it's exploding. They wrapped up 2025 with an astounding 218 Canna Cabana locations across Canada, adding 27 new storefronts this year alone. If you've ever wondered why there's another Canna Cabana popping up near your usual coffee spot, that's why. For the average Calgarian, this means more accessible options for cannabis and accessories, potentially driving down prices through competition, which is always good for the wallet. But it's not just about store count; it's about sheer volume. The Cabana Club loyalty program now boasts over 2.4 million members, with a staggering 139,000 ELITE members. That's a massive local customer base, translating directly into significant retail activity right here in our city.

This isn't just about local sales, though. High Tide's financial muscle is flexing globally. The company reported an annualized revenue run-rate of $600 million for its third fiscal quarter of 2025, with same-store sales jumping by 7.4% year-over-year. Think about what that kind of revenue means for a Calgary-headquartered company: local jobs, local investment, and a stronger economic ripple effect across the city. They’re clocking annualized Adjusted EBITDA run-rates over $42 million, proving that growth and profitability can go hand-in-hand, even in a competitive market. Furthermore, High Tide's aggressive move into the German medical cannabis market in 2025 means a Calgary company is becoming a global player, potentially bringing international prestige and further investment back home. CEO Raj Grover himself declared 2025 a 'truly transformational year,' evolving from a domestic leader to a global cannabis company, with eyes even on the United States. This kind of entrepreneurial success isn't just abstract; it means a more robust and diverse local business landscape. The company even made the Report on Business's top growing companies list for the fifth straight year, cementing its status as a local economic engine.

However, this rapid expansion isn't without its local growing pains, and that's where the civic impact truly hits home. While the convenience of more Canna Cabana locations is clear, community associations, like Bridgeland-Riverside, have voiced concerns about the proliferation of cannabis stores, especially their proximity to parks and community centres. Ali McMillan, their planning director, highlighted these worries back in 2018, noting efforts to make areas like plazas 'more of a gathering space' rather than a retail hub for cannabis. This ongoing tension between commercial growth and neighbourhood character is something every Calgarian grapples with as the city evolves.

Then there's the cost. The City of Calgary has borne a significant financial burden for cannabis enforcement, ringing up an estimated $10.44 million from April 2018 to December 2019 alone. With provincial funding only covering $3.84 million, that leaves a hefty $6.6 million gap, picked up by Calgary taxpayers. While the industry generates revenue, the cost of regulating it disproportionately falls on municipal shoulders, impacting our shared services and infrastructure budgets. Recent amendments to Calgary's Business Licence Bylaw in September 2025, allowing licensed retailers to sell at all-ages events (in designated, minor-free zones), further complicate the landscape, requiring careful oversight to ensure public safety and community standards are upheld.

So, what's the bottom line for you, the average Calgarian? High Tide's incredible 2025 paints a picture of a booming local industry, creating jobs and offering more consumer choices. But it also comes with real costs and community concerns that our city council and planning departments are still navigating. As High Tide aims for even more global expansion in 2026, the challenge for Calgary will be to manage this growth effectively, ensuring that economic prosperity doesn't come at the expense of our neighbourhoods or our city's financial health. It’s a dynamic, evolving situation, and one that Hot Minute Calgary will continue to watch closely.