More than two years after legalization, it’s almost hard to imagine what life was like before.

With many cannabis retailers across the Ottawa area, there’s no shortage of choice for consumers, but certain stores stand out from the pack. Here are 10 of the area’s premier locations, prized for their knowledge, customer service and selection

Big River Cannabis

Big River Cannabis is Clarence-Rockland’s first legal dispensary. Our friendly and bilingual staff are knowledgeable about the more than 50 different strains available for purchase in-store as well as our cannabis accessories including rolling papers, lighters, bongs, vaporizers, clothing, growing equipment (tents, lights, etc.) and our rosin press. We welcome you to come shop in-store or place your order online. Online orders are ready for pickup in 10 minutes.  https://bigrivercannabis.ca/#/menu

Chrontact Cannabis

Our doors are open for in-store shopping, and we offer fast turnaround for orders made online. We carry a wide variety of top quality products ranging from cannabis, concentrates, edibles, accessories and our unique “Budget Beauties.” We pride ourselves in our highly knowledgeable staff, best prices in town and for being a one-stop shop for all your cannabis needs.  https://www.chrontact.ca

Collective Growers

Collective Growers is a boutique cannabis retailer located in Ottawa and Pembroke offering a curated collection of recreational cannabis and accessories. At Collective Growers, we bring you the very best products and accessories. Featuring an exclusive collection of established and emerging brands, our selection is carefully curated by our merchandising team to include highly differentiated and distinctive products.  https://www.facebook.com/collectivegrowers

dream cannabis

dream cannabis is a locally owned and operated boutique cannabis retailer. We are excited to provide an unparalleled shopping experience and share our extensive knowledge of the various consumable products we sell. It is our goal to support other local vendors by stocking a variety of artisan, handmade accessories to complement our popular selection of dried flower, oil, capsules, vape cartridges and edibles.  www.dreamcannabis.net

High Ties – Embrun

Our Embrun location is a modern and humbly elegant space from floor to ceiling. The space is dimly lit with emphasis on our glass displays that show off our wide range of product strains. We are proud to be a locally owned cannabis retail dispensary offering an elevated shopping experience to Ottawans across the city. Our Embrun location is part of our initial rollout of grand openings, with the same values and priorities in place: an enlightening shopping experience, solid relationships and a staff of bud experts helping you make informed decisions on your purchases.  www.highties.ca

High Ties – Glebe

Our rollout just wouldn’t feel complete without opening one of our shops in the heart of the Glebe, a great location for both locally owned businesses, entrepreneurs and loyal customers. The Glebe is known for having a trendy, exuberant vibe, so we felt that our sleek esthetic would be a perfect destination for Glebites. Our Bank Street location welcomes in tons of natural light from the outdoors while balancing it out with our warm, dim interior lighting that gives off a cosy overall feel. Each of our locations uses an art-deco visual style, and our Bank Street location is no exception.  www.highties.ca

High Ties – Wellington Village

Our Wellington Village location has a modern look and feel that welcomes you the moment you enter. The main room is lit with soft, warm lighting that shows off the clean, mellow environment of our Wellington store, and the vibe offers a unique shopping experience for everyone. We are staffed with knowledgeable bud experts with the priority of providing guests with an elevated experience and accurate information on various product strains, right in the heart of Wellington Village.  www.highties.ca

Ridgeburn Cannabis Shop

Ridgeburn is a new cannabis shop located at 1638 Cyrville Rd. across from The Home Depot. We offer a curated selection of products and competitive prices. Our goal is to make sure that your shopping experience is simple and down-to-earth. Our knowledgeable budtenders are happy to help answer your questions, whether you are a seasoned consumer or first-time user. Created by family, driven by community. Ridgeburn is like your friendly neighbour, always there when you need them.  www.ridgeburn.com

Spiritleaf Stittsville

Spiritleaf Stittsville is Ottawa’s west end destination for all things cannabis. There is no one more informed, more dedicated or more willing than we are to educate, support and inspire those within our communities on our knowledge of cannabis. We respect each individual’s reason for choosing cannabis. We are trailblazers leading the charge in a brand new industry aiming to foster true community spirit through what we stand for, whom we serve and the products we provide. We are Spiritleaf. Visit us in-store at 1250 Stittsville Main St. or shop online.  https://spiritleaf.ca/locations/stittsville-cannabis-store/

The Good Cannabis Company

We are independently Ottawa-owned and operated, and proud to be the Glebe’s first cannabis store. We carefully select our menu items from top Canadian and small-batch producers to ensure a quality variety for our customers. Chat with our knowledgeable budtenders, and they will help ensure you leave with the products that will best suit your needs. If you are looking for unique vintage ashtrays and smoking accessories, you will love our curated selection. Our store has a comforting retro esthetic while still offering all the modern shopping conveniences you would look for. Check us out for good bud and good vibes!  www.shopthegood.ca