First legal cannabis in-store pick up app launches this April in Ontario and Alberta

Grab App aims to be the first cannabis smartphone app in Canada that is 100 percent compliant with provincial and federal marijuana regulations.

The app is set to first launch in Alberta and Ontario in April of 2019. A press release states that Grab has been designed with the “cannabis consumer in mind” and that its developers, Buddy-Tech, have done ‘extensive research’ to create a convenient shopping experience.

“Grab lets you browse current menus from government licensed cannabis stores in your area. You can reserve products and build your order online then skip the line-ups when you pick up your order at the store.” said lead app developer David Ramsaran in a recent press release. 

“With Grab, you can browse more strains than you ever knew existed. You can research them before you buy, then rate, share, and review your new favourite strains with your friends afterwards.”

Further, Grab states that it has close relationships with legal cannabis stores across Canada. It’s unclear if Buddy-Tech has plans to expand Grab to other provinces in the future, though the app’s website currently lists all provinces across the country. According to Grab App’s website, the cannabis ordering platform is coming to both Apple’s App Store and the Google Play Store.

Although there are a number of active black market services that allow users to purchase cannabis for delivery, none of them are legal. In-store pick-up could add a much-needed additional level of convenience to purchasing marijuana from legal cannabis stores in Ontario and Alberta.

The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) delivers the plant to buyers via Canada Post.

Ontario’s first physical cannabis stores opened earlier this week, though only a few of the 25 locations are actually open in the province. Alberta had 17 legal marijuana stores selling the plant on the first day of legalization back in October.