How Much Do Cannabis Concentrates Cost?

Cannabis concentrates have been legal in Canada since 2019, but they’re currently having a moment. Their portability combined with the ability to precisely control your dose make them a popular choice for newbies and seasoned vets alike. But there are seemingly endless types, and they’re all different in how they’re used, how beginner-friendly they are, and how much they cost. 

Here are some of the most popular types of cannabis concentrates and what you can expect to pay for them in Canada. We’ll stick to Fire and Flower products, for comparison’s sake. But prices are similar across the country.

Types of Cannabis Concentrates

“Cannabis concentrates” can refer to many different preparations. Here are the most common concentrate products you can find at Fire and Flower locations across Canada. In instances where there are multiple products to choose from we have denoted both low- and high-end pricing, as well as the average price. Check them out below:

Kief 

• ShredX Tropic Thunder Kief: $11.50/gram

That beautiful dust at the bottom of your grinder is kief. It’s made up of cannabis trichomes that shake loose from the cannabis itself. It contains a lot more THC per milligram than dried flower. You can use it basically the same as you do dried flower. One popular way is to sprinkle it on top of bowls or add it to joints for some extra potency.

Wax

• Low-end price: Shatterizer Gorilla Blueberry OG Live Wax: $24.00/gram
• High-end price: Broken Coast Muskmelon OG Wax: $64.95/gram
• Average price: $44.50/gram

Wax is one of the most well-known types of cannabis concentrate and is made via closed-loop extraction with solvents like butane and/or propane. Wax is typically purged of residual solvent with the use of low temperatures and a “whipping” process. The final consistency can be smooth and silky (commonly referred to as badder) or more dry and crumbly. Wax is a popular option for dabbing enthusiasts of all levels and commonly seen on dispensary shelves. Give it a try today out of your favourite dab rig!

Shatter

• Low-end price: Little Farma B. Banner Shatter: $32.00/gram
• High-end price: TRX Fatty Arbuckle 2 Shatter: $44.00/gram
• Average price: $38/gram

Shatter is a popular hydrocarbon extraction and, before live resin, sauce and solventless options flooded the market, was considered a premium top shelf product. Don’t let shifting consumer interest sully your opinion though, shatter is still one of the best concentrate consistencies out there.

Named for its resemblance to glass or hard candy, shatter is a brittle consistency that can be snapped and broken with a little force. Many people enjoy shatter for its ease of use and ability to be handled without sticking to fingers. There are two main consistencies of shatter, traditional and pull-and-snap. Traditional shatter is very brittle and will quite literally snap when bent. While not a major concern, traditional hard shatter can send fragments flying – especially if you’re trying to break off a piece with your dabber.

The second common consistency of shatter, pull-and-snap, is more malleable and will actually bend to an extent before snapping. Because it is slightly softer, when snapped there is a much lower likelihood of shards breaking off unexpectedly when handling pull-and-snap shatter. These consistencies aren’t usually noted on packaging or labels so it’s best to try a few brands and varieties to see which ones you like best and if you notice any differences in consistency.

Diamonds

• Low-end price: Kolab THCa Diamonds: $49.00/gram
• High-end price: TRX Wook Breath Sativa THCa Diamonds: $60.00/gram
• Average price: $54.50/gram

Cannabis THCA diamonds look like, well, diamonds. They’re made via solvent-based extraction and crystallisation techniques leveraging pressure. The extraction starts similar to wax or shatter where butane or propane is blasted over cannabis starting material, stripping it of its trichomes. The resulting mixture is placed within an air-tight jar and heated to remove solvents and force THC nucleation. The resulting nucleation is the initial process in crystal formation and extraction artists will monitor jars closely to determine when the crystals are ready for final preparation.

Once crystals have formed, the mixture will be a blend of “sauce” and diamonds. Sometimes both are sold together and marketed as live resin or just simply, “sauce.” Other times both consistencies will be separated and sold individually.

Live Resin

• Low-end price: San Rafael ‘71 OG Chemdawg Live Resin: $49.00/gram
• High-end price: Kolab 232 Series Caviar Live Resin: $56.00/gram
• Average price: $52.50/gram

Live resin is a sticky, flavourful type of concentrate that uses the “fresh” cannabis plant. Live resin is made using a “fresh frozen” technique where the plant is harvested then immediately frozen and extracted, to preserve more of its terpenes and flavours. Live resin is also referred to as “full-spectrum” because fresh frozen cannabis extraction utilises the entire plant. 

Rosin

• Low-end price: Avana Outlaw Live Rosin: $55.00/gram
• High-end price: Kolab Project 232 Series Live Rosin Jam: $56.00/gram
• Average price:$55.50/gram

While the other consistencies in this list all use hydrocarbon solvents to extract cannabinoids and terpenes, rosin is a solventless concentrate. This means that no chemicals are used in the process, only water, heat and pressure. 

Solventless extraction is also commonly referred to as mechanical extraction due the the fact that trichomes are collected through agitation rather than chemical involvement. Rosin is made by applying heat and pressure to either fresh cannabis flower or bubble hash. You can actually make it at home too using parchment paper and a hair straightener.

Hash/Hashish

• Low-end price: Vortex Afghan Black Hash: $14.50/gram (sold in 2g increments)
• High-end price: Tremblant Cannabis Hashish: $19.50/gram (sold in 2g or 3.5g increments)
• Average price:$17.00/gram

Traditional hash, or hashish, is what comes to mind for consumers who experienced cannabis in the 70s and 80s and is created when cannabis is sieved through a screen and pressed with heat and pressure. Hashish is very popular in the Middle East and the Netherlands and dates back all the way to the 12th century. Like rosin, hash is a solventless preparation that does not use any chemicals in the extraction process.

Oils

• Low-end price: Redecan Reign Drops 30:0 Oil – 30mL: $34.00
• High-end price: Dosecann CBD 100 Ingestible Oil – 30mL:  $77.00
• Average price:$55.50/gram

Many producers sell bottles of cannabis oil with eye-droppers included. You can add a drop or two (or ten) to your food or drinks. Oil is also often sold in capsules for easy dosing. But the best way to use oil is to place a small amount under your tongue, AKA sublingual application. You’ll likely start feeling the effects more quickly than other forms of edibles.

What Affects the Price of Cannabis Concentrates?

Concentrates can vary wildly in price. This is based on a number of factors.

Process

How hard it is to refine the concentrate often defines the price. For instance, live resin, which uses a “fresh frozen” technique to preserve flavour, will almost always be more expensive than regular wax. Yield is also a factor in price. Solventless concentrates typically have a lower extraction yield, meaning higher prices.

Branding

Different brands have different markets. Solei is a well-known budget brand in Ontario, aimed at the wallet-conscious stoner. Other, more boutique brands, like Beurre Blanc, cater to those with more discerning tastes. Whether the high-end brands are worth the price is up to you.

Starting Material

Concentrates made from in-house-grown plants — as opposed to mass-market products that mix THC concentrate with other ingredients — will usually be more labour-intensive, and thus more expensive.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Average Price of Cannabis Concentrates?

That depends on the product, and how much of it you purchase. Generally, concentrates are more expensive than dried flower, since they take more effort to produce.

Are Cannabis Concentrates Different From Cannabis Extracts?

Not everyone agrees on the exact differences between extracts and concentrates. Some say all extracts are concentrates, while others believe some extracts fall outside that definition.

In general, cannabis extracts are made by using solvents to “extract” a higher-percentage THC product from the cannabis plant. Shatter is an example of an extract. 

Concentrates are made using mechanical processes to “concentrate” trichomes into a separate product. Hash is an example of a concentrate.

Are Cannabis Extracts in Canada Legal?

Yes. As long as they’re produced by a government-approved licensed producer and sold through the correct channels, extracts are 100% legal in Canada.

What Are Dabs?

Dabs or “dabbing” refers to taking a small amount of cannabis concentrate — like some wax or shatter — and placing it on a heated surface, then inhaling the resulting smoke or vapour. It’s a much more efficient way to get high.