Uber Eats’ embrace of the delivery market as a whole is nothing new, as the service has expanded to offer delivery to consumers well beyond food from restaurants.
Canada’s legal cannabis market prompted the delivery service to expand to cannabis in select provinces recently, and now Uber Eats has named the “dopest” cities in British Columbia and Ontario—specifically those cities that order the most cannabis for delivery.
According to Uber, Mississauga takes the top spot for cannabis ordering in Ontario, followed by Kitchener, Milton, Kingston and Windsor. When it comes to British Columbia, Victoria claims the title for most cannabis ordering, followed by North Vancouver, Vancouver, Port Moody and New Westminster.
Cannabis merchants first started delivering with Uber Eats in Toronto in 2022, and the service expanded to British Columbia in April 2023. “What started as three licensed cannabis retailers in Toronto in 2022 has grown to over 80 licensed retailers on the platform across both BC and Ontario,” Uber says.
In participating regions, users over 19 years of age simply navigate to the “Cannabis” category or search for cannabis in the app. Users are asked to verify their age before entering the virtual storefront. Similar to ordering takeout or other items on Uber Eats, users can then choose from participating retailers within their delivery radius, add items to their cart and place their orders. Delivery drivers are also required to verify age and sobriety upon delivery.
Mississauga is the seventh-most populous municipality in Canada and the third-most in Ontario. While it beat out the most heavily populated city in the province, Toronto, the city is included on Uber’s list of top five greenest cities in the Greater Toronto Area, or those cities that order cannabis most in the region, with Toronto placing number four on that list.
Victoria has seen a “surge in demand” for safe and convenient cannabis access since deliveries first began, according to Victoria Buzz. It’s one of the largest cities by population in the province, though its rich culture and progressive cannabis attitudes likely help to push it to the top of Uber’s list.
The rideshare company didn’t stop there, as Uber Eats also shared the most popular strains from each province. Ontario’s top pick was the sativa dominant strain Animal Face, followed by Peach Ringz, Tiger Blood, Sourz by Spinach—Blue Raspberry Melon, and the classic Blue Dream.
British Columbia went with the indica offering Tiger Blood the most, followed by Sativa 20% Plus–Weed Me Grind, Sourz by Spinach—Strawberry Mango, Indica 20% Plus—Weed Me Grind and finally Ghost Train Haze coming in fifth.
Uber Eats also shared some of the most popular cannabis products ordered in Canada as a whole, with pre-rolls taking the top spot, edibles coming in second and flower in third. It notes that the most expensive cannabis order in the country for 2023 came to a total of $422.08 from a Toronto cannabis retailer. The order included accessories, like bowls and bongs, alongside other cannabis products.
Mike Dunn, owner and co-founder of Toronto cannabis retailer 1922, called the company’s collaboration with Uber Eats a “powerful alliance.”
“It’s more than just business growth; it’s about setting new standards in accessibility and convenience for cannabis consumers across Ontario,” Dunn said. “As we gear up for 4/20, this partnership underscores our commitment to meeting the evolving needs of our community, ensuring everyone has access to quality cannabis, swiftly and safely.”
Calvin Basran of Queensborough Cannabis similarly said that the company’s partnership with Uber Eats has been a “game-changer.”
“We’ve been able to tap into our strengths—rapid delivery, top-notch service, and strict compliance with provincial regulations—and combine them with Uber Eats’ vast user network to reach new customers across Metro Vancouver,” Basran said. “As we get ready to celebrate cannabis culture this 4/20, we’re proud to offer a safe, smooth and convenient shopping experience for cannabis lovers in our community.”
While this option is still unavailable in the States, Uber Eats says that the participating Canadian regions are already benefiting from the service, potentially helping to combat the illicit market and “expected” to help decrease impaired driving and improve road safety.
Uber Eats does not yet offer cannabis delivery services in the U.S.,but a number of regions with legal adult-use cannabis have worked to enact policies allowing for the delivery of cannabis through other services.
