A new cannabis delivery service in Manitoba is looking to connect with retailers, especially in the Winnipeg area, who want to offer “instant” delivery for their customers.

The Half Circle, or THC, is a new, integrated online platform and delivery service that allows consumers to order cannabis and have it delivered almost immediately within a certain region, similar to a service like SkipTheDishes. 

With a new licence from the Manitoba government issued in June, and a previous beta test with a Winnipeg cannabis store behind them, THC is now ready to begin taking on retail clients over the next few months before a formal launch to consumers in September, says Josh Giesbrecht, CEO of The Half Circle. 

“Right now we’re in recruitment mode and getting all the platforms updated,” he says, “then by August we’ll be releasing a small number of retailers around Winnipeg and then in September a full launch.”

While other delivery options exist in different provinces in Canada, including Manitoba, Giesbrecht explains that what THC offers is unique because it’s the only fully-integrated and immediate delivery option in the country. 

Consumers can browse the app or website for different retailers and then place their orders. The retailer immediately fills the order, and THC’s driver then delivers it to the customer. All within a short window of time. 

“Our service is integrated with our own marketplace, with our own dashboard that we provide to the retailer with our own actual delivery component where the driver gets a notification when an order happens. They get to choose whether or not they accept that delivery. 

“When you combine that whole ecosystem together, it makes it possible to do on-demand. It’s hard to do on-demand if those systems aren’t underneath one company. So that’s what THC is, it’s a safe, compliant, convenient way to get cannabis where you don’t need to leave your house and you get it right away.”

Ideally, he’d like to see THC in other provinces, but for the time being, Manitoba is the only place where this type of delivery platform is allowed. And although he’s looking at potentially offering delivery services to parts of Manitoba where retail is not allowed, Winnipeg will be the primary focus, where demand is higher and timely deliveries easier. 

“We’re going to focus on the markets where we can legally operate, which right now is just Manitoba. As jurisdictions open up, we’ll start to move in. I believe if we can show other jurisdictions that we can safely deliver cannabis like this, as in a manner like this—like we have food delivery, and other goods and services—I fundamentally believe the rules will start to change over time. And then we can expand into those markets. 

“I have to give props to the LGCA,” adds Giesbrecht. “They created this licence category that opened the door to something they hadn’t really considered before. They worked with us on it. It took a while, but they made it work. So I have to acknowledge that.”

“It’s an exciting time in the cannabis industry. Often you hear of the woes of the cannabis industry, but it’s exciting to see that innovation can happen.”