‘A game-changer’: On-demand cannabis app launching in Winnipeg

WINNIPEG -

A new Winnipeg-based company is promising cannabis delivery directly to the customer’s door.

The Half Circle – or THC for short – has launched an on-demand cannabis app, calling it the first of its kind in Canada.

The app allows Manitobans to order cannabis through a smartphone and have it delivered to their location immediately.

Josh Giesbrecht, THC’s co-founder and CEO, said while some cannabis retailers offer courier-style service, The Half Circle is the only third-party delivery app on the market.

“We saw this glaringly obvious service that just didn’t exist in Canada on-demand,” Giesbrecht told CTV News. “We started digging into it and realized the regulations were the reason why it didn’t exist.”

However, Giesbrecht and his business partner soon realized Manitoba is one of the few markets where third-party cannabis delivery is legal and developed THC at their Exchange District offices. Giesbrecht said it is the only third-party app in Canada.

“It’s not only a game-changer for the customer. It’s also a game-changer for [cannabis] retailers of any size,” Giesbrecht said.

The Half Circle works similarly to food delivery services. Customers are able to browse different cannabis retailers, select products, and purchase their cannabis directly through the app. A THC driver picks up the order and delivers it to the customer – who must present a valid photo ID to complete the transaction.

“It’s the same experience. Get it where you want, when you want it,” Giesbrecht said.

The Half Circle is only available in Manitoba, but Giesbrecht said they hope to expand into Saskatchewan – the only other province that allows third-party cannabis delivery – in the near future. He expects other markets to legalize the service in the next few years.

“What we’re showing the Canadian market is that we can deliver highly regulated products in a very safe matter and a very convenient matter.”

The Half Circle is currently in its beta testing phase with only a couple of stores online, but Giesbrecht said they are in conversation with a “very big” cannabis retailer.

Giesbrecht thinks they’ll complete testing by the end of February, and delivery will be available in Winnipeg, Brandon, and other Manitoba markets at that point in time.

The Half Circle is the latest tech company launching out of the Exchange District – following in the steps of SkipTheDishes and other start-ups.

“Quite often, Manitobans don’t always view ourselves as innovators, as ahead of the curve on something. Obviously, it does happen and SkipTheDishes is a big example of that,” Giesbrecht said. “Today’s [launch] is a big example of that too.”

He anticipates The Half Circle’s expansion into other provinces over the next few years will create hundreds of tech jobs in Manitoba, and expects Winnipeg’s reputation as a tech hub will only get bigger.

In November, Calgary-based fintech company Neo Financial announced it is establishing a second headquarters in the Exchange District, and video game giant Ubisoft opened a Winnipeg studio in 2019.

“It’s a growing bubble and all Manitobans should be happy about this.”