Toronto Commuters Will Soon Be Able to Pick Up Their Groceries at GO Stations

Groceries: ain’t nobody got time for that.

Recognizing no business can survive these days without offering an on-the-go service, Loblaws and Metrolinx are teaming up to outfit GO transit stations with grocery pick-up locations. The locations – kiosks, lockers or refrigerated trucks – will be located within close proximity to the parking lot for easy loading.

“The more convenient we make transit the more likely people are to use it,” said Metrolinx spokesperson Anne Marie Aikens, who added that the transit agency has been exploring ways to increase ridership by souping up (no pun intended) stations.

A recent Toronto Star poll suggests most people are happy about the initiative. Others, however, aren’t convinced…

The service will be available at five locations starting this spring: Bronte, Oakville, Rouge Hill, Whitby and Clarkson. Loblaws’ click-and-collect service already lets shoppers order their groceries online and pick them up in-store. The goal of Loblaws’ partnership with Metrolinx is to replace a trip to the store with a pit stop people would be making anyway.

“Commuting is a big part of everybody’s lives,” said Jeremy Pee, senior vice-president, e-commerce, Loblaw Cos. Ltd. “It seems to fit what people are thinking of on their way home from work: getting groceries and preparing a meal.”

Customers will be able to order their groceries until midnight for pick-up on their homebound journey the next day. The minimum order amount is $30, and can be placed on either Fortino’s or Loblaws’ websites.

This all sounds very progressive, but we all know the future of grocery shopping belongs to robots.