2023 Social Impact Fund Partner: Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation

Last updated September 8, 2025 | Published on September 8, 2025

In contrast to the disproportionate number of Black and Brown faces that have been casualties of the war on drugs, Canada’s legal cannabis industry is overwhelmingly dominated by white faces. Canadian jurisdictions have not yet prioritized equity initiatives to support the inclusion of underrepresented racial groups — with a focus on people adversely affected by cannabis prohibition — in employment and economic opportunities emerging from the legalization of cannabis.

In response, the Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation (CDPE) developed a comprehensive report offering actionable and evidence-informed strategic priorities and considerations to strengthen inclusion and diversity in Ontario’s cannabis industry. First, the report provides an overview of the current state of diversity and inclusion in Ontario’s cannabis industry. This is followed by a narrative review to examine approaches adopted to facilitate inclusion and diversity in the legal cannabis retail sector in other jurisdictions. Finally, the report assesses the suitability of these initiatives within the context of Ontario’s cannabis sector based on an in-house evaluation, as well as consultation with external experts 

Impact

• One comprehensive report published: Towards a More Equitable Cannabis Industry in Ontario: Enabling an Inclusive, Diverse, and Vibrant Legal Market
• One executive summary: How Can Cannabis Industry Inclusion and Diversity Be Pursued in Ontario?

Meet the CDPE team

Team members contributing to the CDPE’s project supported by the OCS include Dr. Akwasi Owusu-Bempah (Racial Equity lead), Nazlee Maghsoudi (manager, Policy Impact Unit) and Dr. Dan Werb (executive director). The CDPE is housed within the MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions at St. Michael’s Hospital, a site of Unity Health Toronto.

AKWASI OWUSU-BEMPAH

Racial Equity Lead

NAZLEE MAGHSOUDI

Manager, Policy Impact Unit

DR. DAN WERB

Executive Director

About the CDPE

The CDPE strives to support the development of evidence-, health- and human rights–based drug policies at local, national and international levels through research and outreach. In recent years, the CDPE has developed a growing portfolio of impactful work related to equity in Canada’s cannabis policy.

Released with the University of Toronto in 2020, the CDPE’s foundational research examining the race and gender of Canadian cannabis industry leaders demonstrated that Black and Indigenous people, as well as women, are underrepresented among those with the greatest financial stake in Canada’s legal cannabis industry. 

The CDPE’s latest publication on equitable cannabis policy, titled A Roadmap for Cannabis Equity in Canada to Inform the Legislated Review of the Cannabis Act, covers strengthening inclusion and diversity in Canada’s legal cannabis industry, amnesty for people with previous cannabis convictions, as well as reinvestment of cannabis taxes into equity programs.