Alberta will allow online cannabis sales and shipments starting March 8th

Currently, the Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Commission controls online sales through its Albertacannabis.org website. That’s changing thanks to Bill 80, Alberta’s Red Tape Reduction Implementation Act, which will see the only authorized online retailer of cannabis products withdraw from the digital marketplace, making way for licensed retailers to set up their own e-commerce platforms.

Alberta’s cannabis industry is moving towards a free market approach, with the province giving full responsibility for online sales and home delivery to private pot shops. The AGLCC will continue to play a regulatory role and help ensure that minors do not have access to online retail outlets. While these retailers are allowed to sell products on a mobile version of their website, they are not allowed to use third-party apps.

Omar Khan, senior vice president of corporate and public affairs at High Tide Inc., which operates 57 canna-cabana stores in Alberta, says Khan says the change will help compete for the illicit market, which is still resilient.

According to Khan, High Tide has the advantage of having stores in other provinces with established online portals, while smaller Alberta retailers could build their e-commerce component from scratch.

Photo by GRASS GREEN on Unsplash

“It’s good for many entrepreneurs who have risked their own money and set up regulated legal cannabis stores in Alberta.”

Omar Khan, Senior Vice President of Corporate and Public Affairs, High Tide Inc.

Not only will this be more convenient for customers, but it is also expected to boost private sector investment and job creation in the province.

How did other provinces do it?

As shown in provinces with existing e-commerce cannabis portals such as Ontario, BC and Manitoba, Khan said the private sector as a whole has shown it can act responsibly.

Online sales and delivery for canna cabana stores in Alberta should work similarly to Ontario, Khan said, with the nearest store being selected on the retailer’s website, where consumers must confirm they are of legal age to order cannabis to be able to buy before they place an order which is then delivered by a store driver who performs a second identification check at the door.

The good news is that new data shows that sales through Ontario’s legal cannabis channels have overtaken those through the illicit market for the first time. Steps are slowly but surely being taken in working to reduce black market sales and supporting the growth of a vibrant, legal cannabis industry.