Cannabis Retailer Summit 2025
📍 Toronto | November 25, 2025 | Mirage Banquet & Convention Centre
Morning – Strategy & Financial Foundations
10:00 – 10:30 AM
Opening Keynote: Fireside Chat with David Lobo, CEO & President of OCS
Industry and market insights, and role OCS will play in growing the Cannabis industry in Ontario
10:30 – 11:00 AM
OCS INSIGHTS FOR RETAIL SUCCESS Presented by: Sarah England - Director OCS - Director - OCS Market & Customer Experience Intelligence
Presentation by OCS to share market trends and insights, with discussion on future of retail.
Learn directly from OCS about consumer buying patterns, emerging trends, and programs designed to support retailers. Attendees will walk away with a clearer view of the competitive landscape and practical takeaways for their stores.
11:00 – 11:30 AM
SMALL STORE - BIG DATA - Presented by TOM BLACKBURN, Founder & CEO of Turff Analytics
Competitive Strategies That Level the Playing Field
Discover how independent retailers are using advanced analytics to compete with—and often outperform—major chains in their local markets. Practical strategies for turning customer data, sales patterns, and market insights into competitive weapons. Learn how to identify opportunities the big players miss, optimize operations with precision, and build customer loyalty that can’t be replicated.
11:30 – 12:00 PM
Using Data to Make Your Decisions - Presentation by Tom Ritchie (Legacies Podcast) and David Cote (CEO - Northern Helm & J. Supply Co)
Transforming POS, OCS, and customer insights into action for profitability.
12:00 – 1:00 PM
Lunch Break & Networking Amongst Attendees and with Event Partners
Opportunity to Eat, Meet the Brands and Network with Attendees
An opportunity to connect directly with licensed producers and service providers. Attendees can explore partnership opportunities, discover new product lines, and build relationships that drive retail success.
Early Afternoon – Operations & Market Tools
1:00 – 1:30 PM
Winning Online: E-Commerce, SEO & Digital Marketing for Independents. Presented by NIck Baksh, Founder: Montrose Cannabis
Practical tactics to boost online visibility, drive more orders, and build a stronger digital presence.
Learn how independents can compete online through smart SEO, optimized e-commerce platforms, and targeted digital campaigns. This session will provide actionable strategies to capture local search traffic, convert online customers, and integrate digital marketing into daily store operations.
1:30 – 2:00 PM
Marketing That Works: Driving New Traffic & Building Loyalty. Presented By Brandon Quan. Founder: Cannabud Marketing
Cost-effective digital, local, and experiential campaigns that convert.
From grassroots local outreach to digital ads that actually deliver ROI, this session provides practical tools to attract new customers and build long-term loyalty. Expect real-world examples of campaigns that worked for independents.
2:00 – 2:30 PM
Cannabis Delivery – Expanding Your Reach. Presented by Mike Dunn. Founder of 1922 Cannabis
Building a profitable delivery model while staying compliant.
Delivery continues to be a powerful growth channel for retailers. This session will explore best practices for logistics, marketing strategies to attract new customers, and key compliance considerations to avoid regulatory issues.
2:30 – 2:45 PM
Coffee Break ☕
Mid Afternoon – Driving Revenue & Customer Growth
2:45 – 3:30 PM
Boosting Basket Size: Proven Strategies to Increase Average Cart Value
Practical upselling and cross-selling techniques, bundling strategies, staff training methods, and data-driven product placement to drive higher average transactions.
This session dives into tactics that help retailers grow revenue per transaction. Attendees will learn how to empower budtenders to upsell effectively, bundle products to increase value, and use merchandising techniques to encourage larger purchases without discounting.
3:30 – 4:15PM
OCS Flow-Through: Winning with Data & Differentiation
How to use Flow-Through to stand out from corporate chains.
Retailers will learn how to harness Flow-Through to diversify product offerings, strengthen relationships with local craft brands, and use data to differentiate their store from cookie-cutter corporate competitors.
4:15 – 5:00PM
The Independent Advantage - Retailer Panel Discusion
How Independent Retailers Are Winning Against Corporate Chains and Illegal Dispensaries
Independent cannabis retailers across Ontario are proving that agility, authenticity, and community connection can outperform corporate chains and illegal dispensaries. This panel unites top independents and industry innovators to share real strategies for success. Learn how they’re using collaboration, technology, and data to compete — and win — in Canada’s cannabis market.
Late Afternoon – The Future of The Canadian Cannabis Industry
5:00 – 5:45 PM
Building A Sustainable Future for Cannabis in Canada
From A Licensed Producers Point of View
As Canada’s cannabis industry matures, licensed producers face mounting challenges that ripple through the entire supply chain — from cultivation to consumer. With federal policies tightening, excise taxes squeezing margins, and export opportunities still underdeveloped, producers are being forced to rethink sustainability, innovation, and long-term viability.
This panel brings together leading voices from across the industry to unpack the real-world impact of government decisions and how these policies affect pricing and retail operations nationwide.
Through open dialogue, our panelists will explore how taxation, regulatory complexity, and global competition are shaping the future of the Canadian cannabis sector. Together, we’ll examine how producers, retailers, and policymakers can work collaboratively to ensure Canada remains a global leader in cannabis production, job creation, and responsible market growth.
5:45 – 6:00 PM
Closing Keynote: The Future is Independent, Collective Power
The case for collaboration, group buying, and shared infrastructure.
Vision for how independents can unite to thrive in the next decade.
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Venue Address
Mirage Banquet & Convention Centre, 1917 Albion Rd, Etobicoke, ON M9W 5S8,