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Whether you’re self-isolating, quarantining at home, or just doing your part for social distancing, getting your groceries delivered is an easy way to keep yourself safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
By having your groceries delivered to your door you’re avoiding close contact with others and reducing your time in the community, two things the Government of Canada has asked all Canadians to do in the interest of public health.
In Canada, your grocery delivery options will vary depending on where you live. Different provinces and territories are home to different stores, and they don’t all offer grocery delivery services. And even the stores that do offer delivery in your province may not deliver to your specific postal area. So you may have to do some extra digging once even once you find a store that delivers groceries near you.
That being said, here’s a quick look at some of the most popular and well-known grocery delivery options in Canada—no matter where you live. Just keep in mind that as COVID-19 developments change, some of these stores might adjust their services.
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National Grocery Delivery Options
A good place to start is with some of the bigger retail chains and online grocery delivery services. The stores and services listed below don’t all deliver to every province or territory in Canada but combined they cover most of the country.
The stores listed below are some of the top online grocery retailers in the country. They offer convenient ways for Canadians to get their groceries that work with their schedule. Not only do they offer delivery and in-store shopping, they also offer pickup. You can conveniently order everything you need online and then pick it up at a time that works for you. While some stores do charge fees for these services, they are small.
The thing about these services, though, is that they’re easy to access. All of them are available online, but many of them are also available through an app as well. The main ones are:
Real Canadian Superstore
Real Canadian Superstore offers grocery delivery services in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Yukon. Delivery fees will vary depending on the size of your order.
Superstore also offers grocery pick-up services. This means you can order your groceries online, someone at the store will shop for you, and you can simply pick your order up at the store. Right now, Superstore is making this particular service free and also ensuring grocery prices will be the exact same online as they are in-store.
To see if Superstore’s grocery delivery services are available in your area, click here.
Walmart Canada
In Canada, Walmart offers grocery delivery services in some specific major cities nationwide, including Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, and Calgary. There’s a minimum order of $50 before tax and an additional delivery fee of $9.97.
Like Superstore, Walmart Canada also offers grocery pick-up services. There’s still a $50 order minimum requirement but there are no additional fees when you pick up at a store near you.
To see if Walmart Canada offers grocery delivery services in your area, click here.
Costco
Costco’s grocery delivery services are available for select cities and regions in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
Of course, you’ll need an annual Costco membership to take advantage of this service. There’s no minimum order required and delivery fees are waived on orders over $75 (before taxes).
To see if Costco’s grocery delivery services are available in your area, click here.
Please note: Costco doesn't deliver perishable foods. And there are wait times of up to a week or more so it's a good idea to plan ahead.
Save on Foods
Save on Foods is another grocery store that offers pick-up and delivery services. In order to be eligible for delivery, you do need to verify that your address is in an available area. The cost of delivery depends on your location.
If you choose to go with grocery pickup, the cost depends on the day of the week that you order. Monday through Friday, the cost is $1.95. On Saturdays and Sundays, the cost is $2,95. Plus, whether you order for delivery or pickup, the cost of the groceries is the same as if you shopped in-store.
A way you can get your delivery for free no matter where you live is to use your points. The minimum amount of points used is 2500, and it just goes up from there. An added bonus is that whether you go with delivery or pickup, you can order your groceries up to 12 days in advance.
To see what Save on Foods offers in your area, click here.
Instacart
Instacart is an online service that delivers groceries from a wide selection of stores across the country. They operate in thousands of cities nationwide and the selection of stores varies from region to region. Stores range from major chains such as Walmart and Shoppers Drug Mart, to smaller stores such as M&M Food Market and City Market.
Delivery and service fees fluctuate depending on the size of your order and the time you choose for delivery. To streamline your pricing, you can opt for Instacart Express, a subscription-based service that costs $9.99 per month and gives you unlimited grocery deliveries on orders of $35 or more.
The great thing about Instacart is that you essentially have a personal shopper, and you can get what you need delivered directly to your home. It’s often much faster than the services that grocery stores offer internally, and if a substitution is needed, the personalized service is very helpful..
To see what Instacart offers in your area, click here.
PC Express (formerly Click & Collect)
This is another online service that offers grocery delivery services across most of the country, including Yukon and Northwest Territories. From the PC Express website or app you can order groceries for delivery from stores like Loblaws, No Frills, Valu-Mart, Superstore, City Market, Zehrs, T&T Supermarket, and more.
Delivery fees vary depending on your location and order size. You can also opt to pick-up your order at a predetermined PC Express location.
To see if PC Express is available in your area, click here.
Inabuggy
This online service lets you order groceries from a long list of local stores and supermarkets. The list includes major chains such as Walmart and Costco, as well as specialty stores like Pet Smart, Healthy Planet, and a range of liquor stores.
The fee for delivery from one store is $19.99 and $9.99 for each additional store on the same delivery order. There are no minimum order values for delivery.
Click here to see what Inabuggy offers in your area.
PC Express Vs. Instacart
With both of these delivery options, there are some positives and negatives. Which one works best for you really depends on where you live and what items you’re looking to purchase.
The great thing about PC Express is that you can choose to have your groceries delivered, or you can schedule a pick-up time that works for you. Either way, it does take a few hours to organize your order before you receive it.
Another reason that many people choose PC Express is that the fees are specific. You don’t need to worry about tipping or any other hidden fees. You can also earn extra PC points just for using PC Express. Plus, if you’re a PC Insider, then you can get your PC Express orders for free.
Instacart also has some great features. It has a flexible, personalized service that allows you to get the items you need without ever leaving your home. That said, though, Instart can be more expensive than PC Express since the fees are less concrete. Another thing about Instacart is that it isn’t as available as PC Express. Only certain areas offer it.
Instacart Vs Ubereats
Instacart and Ubereats are very similar services. The main difference is that Instacart delivers groceries, and Ubereats delivers restaurant food. So, while Ubereats is still a great delivery service, it won’t get you groceries. Regional Grocery Delivery Options
Aside from the larger chains and online services outlined above, there are plenty of other stores that offer grocery delivery services in different regions throughout Canada.
Western Canada
In British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba one of the more common options is Save-On-Foods, which provides both grocery delivery and pick-up services. Delivery fees vary depending on the time slot you choose, while pick-up at the store is free.
In B.C. and Alberta there’s also SPUD.ca, which specializes in local and organic groceries. In Manitoba, Dakota Family Foods and Cantor’s Meats both offer delivery and pick-up services in and around Winnipeg.
Eastern Canada
Residents throughout Ontario can check out Longo’s Grocery Gateway service. There’s a $50 minimum order and delivery fees start at around $8, though they vary depending on the time of day you select for your delivery.
In Quebec, there’s a range of choices. Provigo, Metro, and IGA all offer grocery delivery services as well as the option to pick up your order at a store near you.
For those in the Maritimes, there’s Couryah (Nova Scotia), Charlottetown Express Delivery (Prince Edward Island), and Belbin’s Grocery and Colemans (Newfoundland and Labrador).
For New Brunswick residents, both Instacart and PC Express offer grocery delivery and pick-up services in select cities.
Northern Canada
For residents of Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut grocery delivery options are a little more limited than elsewhere in Canada.
In Yellowknife, Instacart offers grocery deliveries for Independent Grocer, Shoppers Drug Mart, and M&M Foods.
In Whitehorse, both Save-On-Foods and Riverside Grocery offer grocery delivery services.
In Nunavut, residents can arrange grocery shipments throughout the Baffin region via The Northern Shopper.
If you live in Toronto and are looking for grocery delivery, then you have a few different options. There are the same ones that are available all over the country, like:
There are also a few different ones like:
Grocery Gateway
Grocery Gateway is a great option for high-end groceries and adult beverages. There’s a $50 minimum order fee, and same-day delivery is only available if you order before noon. All orders are delivered in a 90-minute window. Their site is easy to use, and they have a standard delivery fee of $7.99.
To see if Grocery Gateway is available in your area, click here
Fresh City Farms
With Fresh City Farms, it’s like having the farmers market at your fingertips. They select produce from local vendors and deliver it to you for a low fee. It’s only $3 to $3.50 per order, and the minimum order is $27. If you order $75 or more, the delivery fee is waived.
When it comes to delivering your groceries, the days you get your order depend on where you live. All orders are delivered between noon and 9 pm, and you don’t need to be home for the order. To see what's available in your area, click here
Overall Best Grocery App
When it comes to the best overall grocery app, the consensus is PC Express. It’s easy to use, and it saves your consistent orders, making them easy to find and speeding up your order process. The fees are relatively low, and the pickup and delivery times are very flexible.
Which is the Cheapest?
For everyday deliveries, the cheapest is probably Walmart. That said, it’s difficult to determine because most of the deliveries are based on the location, so they’re different for everyone.
Which Ones Offer Free Delivery?
When it comes to free delivery, that really isn’t an option unless you use your Save on More points to cover the cost. For the rest, if you’re looking for no fees, it’s best to shop pick up and meet the minimum order amount.
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