The SQDC wants to deliver "within an hour"
Montreal cannabis users will soon be served as well by the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) as by the local dealer. The Crown corporation has just launched a call for tenders to find a supplier who will deliver its products "the same day", and who could even provide the service "within an hour" in certain sectors of the metropolis.
"100% of the packages must be delivered to the customer, the same day of the order, before 10 p.m., monday to Sunday, following the pick-up at the SQDC distribution center," says the call for quotes, in effect until December 5.
The chosen supplier "could be called upon to pick up and deliver within one hour
for all identified sectors," adds the 57-page technical document.
"Our mandate is to migrate consumers from the black market to the legal market," explains Fabrice Giguère, the spokesman for the Crown corporation, who confirms the organization's intention to accelerate its home deliveries. The proximity and immediacy of the service are among the factors that can make people migrate. »
Launched as part of a 6 to 9 month pilot project, this accelerated service will only cover the Island of Montreal for the time being. It could be extended to the greater metropolitan area in a second step.
"We want to offer one more option to our customers. At this point, we don't even know if we're going to be able to find a supplier that will meet our requirements and the very strict protocols we're working with," adds Giguère.
Currently, the SQDC provides home delivery within 1 to 3 working days, excluding Saturdays
and Sundays. Canada Post is its sole supplier for these deliveries.
The Société des alcools delivers within 3 to 5 working days, according to its website.
"It's a bit funny to see that it will be easier to order cannabis than alcohol, but we understand that it is to stop the black market," says Marianne Dessureault, spokesperson for the Association pour la santé publique du Québec (ASPQ).
"If it ensures lower-risk consumption, we see it positively, as long as there is no overall increase in consumption," she adds. His organization wants the Vigilance Committee on Cannabis, on which the Directorate of Public Health sits, to be mandated to analyze the effectiveness of the pilot project in migrating consumers from the black market to the legal market.
The Minister Delegate for Health and Social Services, Lionel Carmant, is in favour of the project: "The SQDC can proceed with this type of call for tenders. It is a service it already offers through Canada Post, he said in an email sent to La Presse. However, it will be necessary to ensure that the same delivery standards are applied safely and rigorously to prevent young people under the age of 18 now and 21 years of ageon January 1 from having access to cannabis products in this way. I trust the SQCD which, like us, has a public health concern. »
"100% of the packages must be delivered to the customer, the same day of the order, before 10 p.m., monday to Sunday, following the pick-up at the SQDC distribution center," says the call for quotes, in effect until December 5.
The chosen supplier "could be called upon to pick up and deliver within one hour
for all identified sectors," adds the 57-page technical document.
"Our mandate is to migrate consumers from the black market to the legal market," explains Fabrice Giguère, the spokesman for the Crown corporation, who confirms the organization's intention to accelerate its home deliveries. The proximity and immediacy of the service are among the factors that can make people migrate. »
Launched as part of a 6 to 9 month pilot project, this accelerated service will only cover the Island of Montreal for the time being. It could be extended to the greater metropolitan area in a second step.
"We want to offer one more option to our customers. At this point, we don't even know if we're going to be able to find a supplier that will meet our requirements and the very strict protocols we're working with," adds Giguère.
Currently, the SQDC provides home delivery within 1 to 3 working days, excluding Saturdays
and Sundays. Canada Post is its sole supplier for these deliveries.
The Société des alcools delivers within 3 to 5 working days, according to its website.
"It's a bit funny to see that it will be easier to order cannabis than alcohol, but we understand that it is to stop the black market," says Marianne Dessureault, spokesperson for the Association pour la santé publique du Québec (ASPQ).
"If it ensures lower-risk consumption, we see it positively, as long as there is no overall increase in consumption," she adds. His organization wants the Vigilance Committee on Cannabis, on which the Directorate of Public Health sits, to be mandated to analyze the effectiveness of the pilot project in migrating consumers from the black market to the legal market.
The Minister Delegate for Health and Social Services, Lionel Carmant, is in favour of the project: "The SQDC can proceed with this type of call for tenders. It is a service it already offers through Canada Post, he said in an email sent to La Presse. However, it will be necessary to ensure that the same delivery standards are applied safely and rigorously to prevent young people under the age of 18 now and 21 years of ageon January 1 from having access to cannabis products in this way. I trust the SQCD which, like us, has a public health concern. »
The SQDC expects to deliver approximately 400 packages per week as part of the project. The supplier must ensure the "validation at all times of the proof of age before handing over the package to the customer". Fines of $1,000 to $5,000 are provided for in the contract in the event of non-compliance with this clause, and the SQDC specifies that it will carry out verification checks.
The supplier must also "provide a complete list of employees and/or subcontractors planned to be assigned to the contract (regular and replacement staff). This list is subject to the approval of the SQDC, which will reserve the right and privilege to request a review," the tender document states. The company will not be able "under any circumstances to carry out storage
in a vehicle or at the home of one of the employees."
"The mode of transportation used for the delivery service must contribute to Montréal's goal of becoming the first sustainable mobility city in North America. Travel with a low carbon footprint should be preferred, such as electric vehicles," the document adds.
The supplier must also "provide a complete list of employees and/or subcontractors planned to be assigned to the contract (regular and replacement staff). This list is subject to the approval of the SQDC, which will reserve the right and privilege to request a review," the tender document states. The company will not be able "under any circumstances to carry out storage
in a vehicle or at the home of one of the employees."
"The mode of transportation used for the delivery service must contribute to Montréal's goal of becoming the first sustainable mobility city in North America. Travel with a low carbon footprint should be preferred, such as electric vehicles," the document adds.
