No more ‘waiting for Canada Post’: Alberta cannabis store embraces new delivery rules

The owner of one of Alberta’s first cannabis stores to be approved for delivery says the regulation change will be good for business.

As of Tuesday, private cannabis stores in the province can offer online sales and deliver products right to a client’s door.

This will replace the provincial website that has been operating since 2018, soon after cannabis was legalized in Canada.

“The way we chose to do it is you come into the store, you make your account, a person makes their order online, they pay ahead of time so the driver never has cash on them, you place your order. It’s going to be delivered in the same day,” said Mireille Tessier, the owner of Daikoku on Edmonton’s south side.

The Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) heard desires from stores to start selling online, and this process had been in development since the summer.

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There will be a continued focus on reducing the influence of the black market, and it is hoped this will provide even more legitimate options for Albertans who want to purchase cannabis.

Tessier says what sets Alberta apart from other provinces is allowing stores to handle their own delivery.

“It allows us small- and medium-sized businesses to continue that vibe we have in the store into delivery,” she said.

The business owner says delivery was one of the key components missing from legalization nearly three-and-a-half years ago.

“People were used to calling their guy and having him show up right away. The idea of waiting for Canada Post didn’t really jive for a lot of people.”

NEW:

Alberta to allow online cannabis sales and delivery for licensed retailers.#yeg #yyc #ableg pic.twitter.com/POigzOVJT8

— Courtney Theriault (@cspotweet) March 7, 2022

Tessier says she hopes this is the first change of many.

“I would love to have a place to consume edibles or oils,” she said. “I understand there’s a no smoking law but there are ways to consume cannabis that are smokeless.”

The AGLC says it will continue work to make sure the websites offering sales are legitimate, including requiring certain things to be shown on the websites to indicate they are not scams.

—With files from Tom Ross, CityNews Calgary