Listen. It's winter in Canada - the last thing anyone wants is to go out in the cold, slipping around in the snow for groceries. The good news is that grocery delivery options are getting more convenient and faster than ever! We're breaking down the best options available to you, wherever you are in the country!
1. PC Express - offered for the Loblaws family of grocery stores
Loblaws certainly gets points for availability! Since the company is absolutely massive, there's a near-certainty that you live within a pickup or delivery zone for this service. PCExpress serves Loblaws, No-Frills, Valu-Mart, Superstore, T&T Supermarket, Zehr's and more depending on where you live.
- The service costs $3.00 for pickup, but is free for PC Insiders Members.
- Delivery cost is $9.95 regardless of order size
- Either can be booked for same-day, or up to 13 days in advance
- Orders are placed through your local store at PCExpress.ca
- PC Optimum points on each offer
2. Cornershop
Cornershop is a relatively new service by Uber, serving Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, and the GTA. This is a great option as it allows smaller local grocery stores to offer delivery services, meaning that you have a wider array of grocery options than other platforms. There is no pickup option for this service and its newness may cause some growing pains, but
- Delivery arrives within 45-90 minutes
- Fees range from $6.90-$9.90 for each order
- Order at CornershopApp.com
3. Walmart Canada
Walmart offers an in-house delivery service, as well as a partnership with Instacart. You can shop the entire selection of Walmart products, including perishables, through both services. Walmart Grocery offers a free pickup option as well. Grocery delivery time can range from 2 days to as little as 2 hours, depending on your preference and service fees
- Walmart Canada fees range from $7.97 for 2-day to $14.97 for 2-hour delivery
- Pickup is free from Walmart locations
- Wide variety of affordable products at listed prices
4. Costco Delivery
While Costco does have a partnership with Instacart for same-day delivery, if you have bulk items to order, they do offer an in-house delivery service as well. This service is limited to non-perishables and household items as this is a true shipping service offered by the company, but for items like toilet paper, cleaning supplies and bulk dry goods - it's a great option!
- No surcharge for orders over $75, but a $3 per unit surcharge for orders under the threshold
- Longer delivery time (typically between 2 and 10 days)
- Orders may only be delivered to one address at a time
5. Instacart
Instacart, founded in 2012, has swept Canada in recent years (particularly since the Covid-19 pandemic began). While this service is undoubtedly convenient, and typically has options not available on other apps (in some cases, you can even shop Sephora while you do your groceries), in-store discounts and special offers may not be available through Instacart, and the platform has been known to occasionally mark groceries above their in-store prices.
- Fees start at $3.99 for same-day orders over $35 (for other parameters, fees can vary)
- Instacart gives you the option to decide what happens when an item is out of stock, and communicate with your shopper
- For a monthly fee, Instacart Express members get free delivery and reduced service fees for orders over $35
We hope this breakdown helps you get a sense of your options, and we wish you the very best this snowy winter week in Canada!
