UPDATE March 25, 2020 

Petition focus changed to: Improve grocery home delivery for seniors & vulnerable people during COVID-19.

This change has been made because most large chain Canadian grocery stores and pharmacies now have protected shopping hours for elderly and vulnerable people!

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Full Petition

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We need to improve grocery home delivery options for seniors and vulnerable people now.

Seniors and people with chronic medical conditions are most vulnerable to COVID-19. As of March 25, 2020, it is fortunate that many Canadian grocery chains has created protected time for seniors and vulnerable people to complete their shopping needs.

However, equitable home delivery options of groceries and prescription medications to seniors and vulnerable people remains a critically important issue that has not yet been addressed by Canadian grocery and pharmacy chains.

As per direction from the Government of Canada, every person who exhibits respiratory symptoms will now be self-isolating at home. They have been directed by the Public Health Agency of Canada to “arrange grocery delivery to their doorstep”. This is in addition to the broad recommendation for those who are asymptomatic to stay home, which particularly applies to those most vulnerable to COVID-19 to stay safe.

Many necessary items are currently inaccessible (such as toilet paper or cleaning products) and options for grocery delivery/pickup have been difficult to access due to increased demand. There are a significant number of seniors and vulnerable people who are now (or soon to be) self-isolating at home, who may not have healthy friends or relatives who can do their grocery shopping for them and leave it on their doorstep.

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses in severity, there will be more and more people in self-isolation and as per government direction, all of these citizens should not be leaving their homes for any reason.

This leaves seniors and vulnerable people in a difficult situation if they need groceries, prescriptions, or supplies urgently, because they and everyone around them has to self-isolate.

While many people have been stocking up in case they might need to self-isolate for many days, not all seniors and vulnerable people will be able to do this on their own. This is particularly challenging for people who live on their own, do not have access to a car, or are frail and cannot carry large amounts of groceries to their homes.

We urge all major Canadian grocery stores and pharmacies to consider creating delivery options for your products that are specifically designed for seniors and vulnerable people to access, particularly as these citizens are going to be most hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, and they are also least able to stock up. Some options could include a telephone hotline where seniors and vulnerable people can call to create a grocery order over the phone, which is then delivered to their doorstep by store personnel.

These measures would relieve vulnerable citizens from having to choose between risking their health and the health of other shoppers and employees in stores, and not having necessary food and supplies.

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This petition asks for four things:

1. All major Canadian grocery stores and pharmacies should create protected time for seniors and vulnerable people to complete their shopping needs. This needs to be advertised clearly.

2. All major Canadian grocery stores and pharmacies should take steps to prevent hoarding/overshopping (such as by creating item limits when purchasing).

3. All major Canadian grocery stores and pharmacies should take steps to retain stock of necessary items (such as toilet paper, tissues, paper towels, cleaning products) so that seniors and vulnerable people will be able to purchase them.

4. All major Canadian grocery stores should increase their delivery and pickup capacity, as this minimises time that shoppers spend in stores, and also ensure seniors and vulnerable people have access delivery and pickup services (as many may not have the ability to use online shopping).

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Canadian grocery stores and pharmacies who have made protected hours available (thank you!) as of March 24, 2020:

Loblaws, Shoppers Drug Mart, Pusateri's, Longo's, Sobeys, Fresh St Market, Colemans Grocery, Whole Foods, Save-on-Foods, Rexall Canada, Walmart Canada, Safeway Canada, London Drugs

Canadian grocery stores and pharmacies who have NOT made protected hours available as of March 24, 2020:

Costco Canada

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