The government plans to allow private cannabis shops in the Yukon to conduct their online shops and home delivery.
“This amendment to the Cannabis Control and Regulation Act would pave the way for private cannabis retailers in the Yukon to sell products online and deliver them to Yukoners over the age of 19,” said the Minister responsible for the Yukon Liquor Corporation Ranj Pillai in a statement.
A change to the Cannabis Control and Regulation Act, introduced in the legislature on Oct. 18, would allow the new rules to come into effect. Despite five licensed cannabis retailers in the territory, only the government’s website is currently permitted to sell online.
During COVID-19, the Civil Emergency Measures Act allowed patrons to pre-purchase from cannabis shops online in order to allow curbside pickup.
The change to the system was applauded by retailers, who proceeded to set up online shops. The order to allow curbside shopping was eventually repealed with a promise that the laws would eventually be permanently modified to allow for e-commerce.
According to the Yukon Liquor Corporation’s annual report on cannabis, the Corporation sold approximately $6 million in cannabis to licensees and through Cannabis Yukon, a growth of about 1.2 million compared to the previous year. Of that amount, only $12,000 took place through online sales.
Contact Haley Ritchie at haley.ritchie@yukon-news.com
Correction: On Oct. 21 this story was updated to note that it was Cannabis Yukon that sold around $6 million in cannabis, rather than Yukoners who spent that amount on cannabis.
