Cannabis delivery is now a permanent option in Ontario

Starting today, cannabis users in Ontario no longer need to wonder if the delivery of their favorite plant is just a temporary pandemic service. Beginning March 15, cannabis dealers in the province will be able to permanently offer curbside delivery and collection services.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario’s announcement set out that delivery orders must be placed at a specific store location and that orders must originate and be fulfilled by the same store, with products located locally (aka no fulfillment centers). .

In addition, AGCO only allows deliveries to be made by persons with a retail license or their employees. And forget about the possibility of delivery companies (sorry Uber Eats); Effective March 15, third-party vendors will no longer be allowed to supply cannabis to Ontario consumers.

And Ontario isn’t the only province updating its shipping policies. British Columbia and Alberta have also made updates to online ordering and shipping.

Weed supply became a pandemic for consumers

Cannabis supply drove Ontario cannabis sales in 2020 as lockdown measures encouraged the Ontario government to classify cannabis as an essential item.

The province temporarily allowed curbside delivery and pickup of cannabis products during the lockdown, measures some cannabis producers saw as essential to remain competitive.

“When lockdowns were imposed, the Ontario government listened to legal cannabis companies and allowed us to temporarily offer curbside pickup and delivery services to our customers,” said Raj Grover, President and CEO of High Tide in October 2021.

“This decision helped many smaller cannabis retailers stay afloat and limit layoffs, while giving the sector a key tool to combat illegal entrants, many of whom began to ramp up their unregulated delivery services as the pandemic hit struck.”

Delivery options change across Canada

British Columbia has also made the supply of weed permanent

Ontario isn’t the only province making cannabis supply a staple of retail sales. As of July 2021, licensed retailers in BC could deliver cannabis between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., but were required to ensure product was held securely during delivery. (Regarding what defines “stored securely,” last year’s announcement didn’t provide any further details.)

The province went on to explain that only adults could receive delivery orders and those who appear to be under 19 must present two forms of identification to the courier.

The recipient does not have to be a resident of the address or the person who placed the order, but must provide their name and signature in order to accept delivery. In addition, third-party delivery services are not permitted.

Alberta needs a ‘hard age gate’ as cannabis supply options expand

Beginning this month, Alberta businesses can offer cannabis delivery through their own employees, Canada Post, or a courier service. These new regulations are a result of the shutdown of Alberta’s government website and the permission for private retailers to take over online cannabis sales in the province.

However, Alberta’s postponement has drawn some criticism as age verification requirements have become more stringent.

While some provinces only require a simple “soft age gate” where a consumer can self-verify that they are of legal entry age, Alberta requires every retailer that sells or even advertises cannabis and lists prices to reflect the age and the Really verify consumers’ identities (aka no more fake birthdays).

Some retailers may choose to use a third party app such as Equifax for this process. Customers may also need to have their ID checked again at the point of delivery by the store employee or courier.

While the process of ordering and getting weed online can be intricate depending on where you live, it’s safe to say that many provinces have listened to their constituents who need a streamlined process to have their cannabis shipped to them.

David Silberberg

David Silverberg is a freelance journalist who writes for The Toronto Star, BBC News, The Washington Post, Business Insider, Cannabis Health, Merry Jane, High Times and many other outlets. He is also a writing coach, helping freelance journalists and creatives to advance their careers.

Check out David Silverberg’s articles

By submitting this form, you are subscribing to Leafly news and promotional emails and agreeing to Leafly’s Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe from Leafly email communications at any time.