The Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) will have a new interim President and Chief Executive Officer as of June 26, 2023, as the agency begins the recruitment process for a permanent replacement. 

Robert Dalcourt, CPA, CGA, is replacing Jacques Farcy for the presidency of the Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ). Farcy has served as CEO since October 2021 and oversaw a shift for the SQDC from rapid expansion of their retail footprint across the province to one focussed more on refining customer experience in those stores. Farcy spoke recently with StratCann about this shift.

Cannabis sales were flat in the SQDC’s most recent annual report, compared to the previous year Consumers in Quebec bought $601.9 million worth of cannabis in 2022 during the fiscal year that ended March 25, 2023, compared to $600.5 million in the previous year. The estimated share of the total market the province captured declined slightly, from 58.5% in 2022’s annual report to around 56% this year. 

Despite that small decrease, according to Quebec’s most recent annual survey on cannabis, fewer consumers bought from illegal suppliers compared to the year prior, meaning while few people use the illicit market, those who do are purchasing more. The SQDC’s target for 2022-2023 was to capture 75% of the total market. 

Dalcourt first joined the SQDC in 2018, where he first held the position of Director, before taking the role of Vice-President of the Finance Department. The SQDC notes he is also an active member of the agency’s Management Committee, and provided “significant leadership” in the SQDC’s 2024-2026 strategic plan. 

Dalcourt brings over 35 years of management experience to the SQDC, primarily in the manufacturing and food distribution sectors, as well as accounting and finance.

The recruitment process for the next officer will be overseen by the SQDC’s Board of Directors and is expected to begin quickly.