The Ontario Cannabis Store’s website has seen massive improvements since launching in October of 2018. The blog at OCS.ca is filled with useful how-tos and shoppers can now sift through dried flower strains by potency.

And sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you might find something special like hash or edibles.

But it can still be overwhelming to shop the massive number of brands and products on offer. That’s why when OCS UX designer Omeed Asadi tweeted out the most-searched brands on the site on April 14, we had to take a closer look — even just to muse on what our fellow Ontarians are stockpiling to get through the pandemic lockdown.

Redecan

This Fenwick, Ont.-based brand’s vape kits and cartridges are well-reviewed among more experienced consumers because, well, they’re strong.

“I was only planning to do one hit (was planning to smoke more later) and wow, what a surprise it was,” writes one Reddit user. “I did not expect to get that high after one pull. It probably took 15-20 mins.”

Redecan’s Wappa dried flower strain is another fave that tends to measure more potent levels of THC, and CBD Shark Shock — a high-CBD variety — is one of the most-searched cannabis strains.

Aurora

Expansion plans were put on hold and there were mass layoffs well before the pandemic locked down Canada, but through it all Aurora was also building some brand loyalty, too. The company’s CBD Drops and CBD Capsules both made it to Leafly’s Reader’s Choice picks for oils, and their Blue Dream strain is popular among consumers looking for something moderately potent.

Solei

People love Solei’s line of Balance products, which are “1:1s” — meaning they contain roughly an equal amount of CBD and THC, hence the name. The beginner-friendly product line includes cannabis oils and soft gels; disposable vape pens and pods in both 510 cartridge and pod form; as well as dried flower and pre-rolled joints.

Riff

Subway Scientist pre-rolls by Aphria’s recreational brand Riff were one of the most popular products of 2019, according to retailers, and their THC Spray has mostly glowing reviews and a four-star rating on Lift.co.

Broken Coast

This west coast premium brand will cost you, but they almost always come up as a popular choice among consumers. Their Ruxton strain was named not once, but twice by retailers as one of the most popular picks of last year.

Edison

Edison’s Dark Truffles Mega Byte is $8.85 at OCS.ca. Photo: OCS.ca

This Atlantic Canada-based brand by OrganiGram has a premium vibe, but prices have become a lot more accessible since its launch. Their Dark Truffles Mega Byte is high on our must-try list of edibles, and the brand’s CBD oil and La Strada high-THC strain both topped Leafly’s Reader’s Choice list.

Pax

If you found the Pax 2 vaporizer for herb and concentrates too expensive and/or too complicated, the San Francisco-headquartered accessory brand Pax Labs now has the Pax Era — a far more straightforward and attainable piece of equipment, with pods by Riff and Solei.

Tweed

Canopy’s recreational brand is likely one of Canada’s most recognizable, with a huge range of product categories like oils, soft gels and flower, as well as cannabis strains, with names like Bakerstreet and Argyle. And if you’re really adventurous and lucky, try click ‘n’ collect or the new curbside pickup options to check out Tweed’s cannabis drinks — they’re unfortunately not available on OCS.ca, and only available in stores.

Foray

We were surprised at how strong Foray’s edibles are, so maybe Ontario consumers are enjoying the 10-mg chocolates as much as we did. And with many people ditching anything smokeable to protect their lungs through the pandemic, edibles are a great alternative.

Dosist

Dosist disposable vape pens, with names like Bliss and Arouse, are popular because their names take the mystery out of choosing a cannabis strain or product. The brand’s “Calm” pen seems to be its most popular among reviewers on Lift.co.

“I take a few puffs off of it after work and all the stress of the day just floats off your shoulders,” writes one reviewer. “I love the flavour as well, super lemon flavours like a lemon lollipop.”

Kolab Project

This brand has some of the most-searched strains available in Canada, like LA Confidential and Sishkaberry, but their vape starter kits are also really resonating with consumers. “The sativa definitely gave me energy and ambition to clean and do other tasks,” writes one Lift.co reviewer.

Hexo

The Quebec-based brand Hexo, which is also dealing with its fair share of business challenges, has some of the most innovative cannabis products on the market. Its “Decarb” line, for example, is already-heated — or decarboxylated — cannabis powder, that’s ready to be ingested without smoking or buying expensive prepackaged edibles, which is especially alluring for medical consumers. And their peppermint cannabis sprays perfectly mask the flavour of cannabis, to keep that breath fresh while you get lifted.