The Product Call refers to the end-to-end process through which the OCS sources product from federally Licensed Producers and Accessories Suppliers (“Suppliers”) that it intends to purchase and list for sale in Ontario.
The OCS currently issues Product Calls five times each calendar year.
The Product Call process is designed to optimize innovation, facilitate mutual accountability, and promote transparency by:
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Ensuring that Suppliers are able to flawlessly execute and have sufficient time to share innovation plans for products that meet consumer expectations.
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Providing Retailers with access to a broad and diverse product catalogue that helps enable the ongoing development of a healthy and sustainable retail cannabis marketplace in Ontario.
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Offering Consumers consistent, quality-tested cannabis products across a variety of price-points to encourage their next purchase to be a legal one.
If you’re familiar with this process, please follow the link below to proceed to the submission forms:
What Steps are Involved in the Product Call?
If you’re a Licensed Producer who is new to the Product Call process, please review the list of steps below before submitting a product.
As part of its commitment to transparency, the OCS will provide all Suppliers with clear feedback and insight into its decision-making process throughout the Product Call process.
The Product Call process involves two stages before a product is listed:
- Submission: The OCS evaluates submissions against standardized criteria, provides all Suppliers with feedback and issues a Notice to Purchase (NTP) for successful submissions.
- Product Onboarding: Suppliers work with the OCS to complete the listing process, build forecasts and arrange for product to be sold into Ontario’s recreational cannabis market.
These two stages are broken down into more detailed steps below.
Submission Stage
The OCS opens the Product Call
- The OCS will open Product Calls five times per year.
- The OCS may also occasionally issue separate Product Calls for special events, at the sole discretion of OCS.
Resources:
Schedule and Submission Forms
Suppliers submit to the Product Call
- Suppliers submit a form to share critical information about new products they wish to sell into Ontario’s recreational cannabis market prior to proceeding with a formal product submission.
- Before submitting, please ensure that all products align with the OCS product submission expectations. Please refer to the Cannabis product Names and Branding Element Guidelines for more information.
- Licensed Producers can use the Product Call Supporting Information Template as a guideline and include any additional information to support and strengthen your Product Call submission. Once completed, please send a copy to your respective Category Manager or Cannabis.Submissions@OCS.ca
- Please ensure that all product information provided during this stage is accurate. The information submitted for product attributes will be visible to Retailers and consumers once the product launches.
- Please save a copy of the completed pdf form for your records.
- No late submissions will be reviewed or accepted after the deadline date.
The OCS evaluates product submissions and makes product selections
- All submitted products are evaluated and measured against mandatory, clear and consistent Submission Scorecard Criteria
The OCS communicates next steps to Suppliers
Note: Expect an email communication from the OCS during this step
Accepted Submissions:
- The OCS provides Suppliers with an NTP and submission packages for accepted SKUs within approximately 20 business days of the Submission Deadline. Timing may vary — see Schedule and Submission Forms for specific timelines.
- The OCS works with Suppliers to determine fulfillment method (Stocked or Flowthrough), product quantity, landed cost, listing type (i.e. General List, Limited Release, Store Brand, or Farmgate).
- Suppliers may request a desired launch window during the Submission phase. When their NTP is confirmed, the OCS will send an email to Suppliers confirming the B2B Portal and B2C OCS.ca launch window the Suppliers will be included in.
Rejected Submissions:
- Suppliers that have not been accepted will receive a Rejection Letter by email that will include a Submission Scorecard demonstrating why their product did not meet OCS criteria.
- Suppliers may reach out to their Category Manager for more detailed information.
- Rejection Letters are sent within approximately 20 business days of the Submission Deadline. Timing may vary — see Schedule and Submission Forms for specific timelines.
- After a Rejection Letter has been issued to the Supplier, the OCS may review and consider appeals from the Supplier. Please refer to the Appeal Process for more information on this process and learn how to complete and submit the Appeal Process Form.
- Appeals will only be considered for product(s) that have been submitted through the Product Call.
Product Onboarding Stage
Suppliers sign and return NTPs and submission packages before engaging OCS Supply Chain
- New Suppliers onboard with the OCS as a vendor. All Suppliers are required to enter into a commercial agreement that enables product sales to the OCS.
- Suppliers must complete and submit all the documentation provided to them in the NTP package, including:
- GS1 packaging images
- Barcodes
- Packaging/label artwork
- Child Resistance Certificate
- Cannabis Product Specification Form
- Category Expansion Form (If applicable)
Resources:
GS1
Suppliers submit outstanding attributes
- All Suppliers must submit remaining attributes by the deadline posted on Schedule and Submission Forms.
Missing or late submissions will be removed from the Product Call. - All Suppliers must use their accurate SUB-ID that was provided on their NTP with their submission.
Resources:
Schedule and Submission Forms
Getting products ready to launch
Flow-Through Products:
- The Supplier will review the inventory they are going to make available for launch.
- The deadline for inventory upload will be made available on the Schedule and Submission Forms page.
Stocked Products:
- The OCS Supply Chain works with the Supplier to complete forecasts before issuing POs.
- Once a PO has been received, the Supplier may book a delivery appointment with the Distribution Centre.
At this stage, products will be visible to Retailers authorized by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) on the OCS B2B Portal and tagged as “Coming Soon”.
Resources:
Schedule and Submission Forms
Product Listed
Product Listed
- The product is listed in the Provincial Catalogue and made available for sale in Ontario.
If you’re fully licensed and ready to submit a product, proceed to the submission forms below.
Who can I reach out to if I have questions about the Product Call process?
All Suppliers will be assigned a Category Manager to serve as a consistent point-of-contact throughout the Product Call process. Suppliers will receive a response to any inquiry from their assigned Category Manager within five business days.
For general inquiries, please reach out to the OCS Merchandising Team at cannabis.submissions@ocs.ca.
Evaluation Resources
Submission Scorecard Criteria
Items included in a formal submission are scored according to whether they exceed, meet or fall below the following criteria:
Please review the full breakdown for the Execution and Performance criteria and evaluation.