The Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General says cannabis tax revenues are expected to be higher in the last six months of the fiscal year.

Speaking on NL Newsday, Mike Farnworth says the province has now issued 178 licenses for private cannabis stores, and nearly 30 others are approved in principle until they pay a licensing fee.

“That does not include the nine government stores,” he says.

“You’ll start to see a real uptick in terms of revenue. But in fact, I can tell you at this point, that in the first week of October for example, we sold more cannabis in legal stores in this province than the entire month of June. So I’m expecting that trend will really start to show up in the third and fourth quarters.”

In its second quarter report, which ended Sept. 30, the Finance Ministry lowered the projected income for the BC Liquor Distribution Branch by $18 million because of lower-than-expected cannabis tax revenues to date.

In Kamloops, the province has issued 11 sales licenses for retail cannabis stores. So far, five have opened, including three private stores. Six more have been approved in principle, five of which will be private stores.