The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) are introducing a new data platform to help reduce the regulatory burden on retailers by simplifying their cannabis reporting requirements and improving its accuracy.
POS Data Reporting Platform
AGCO and OCS have developed a streamlined Point-of-Sale (POS) Data Reporting Platform that will integrate directly with a retailer’s in-store POS system.
The new platform will automatically extract, standardize, and automate monthly reports directly from the data that retailers already house in their system. It will eliminate the need for monthly preparation and submission of reports and will improve the accuracy of the data submitted to better fulfill provincial and federally mandated regulatory reporting requirements.
For more information on how data collection will change, please refer to the AGCO website.
Platform Rollout
The platform is now being rolled out with POS providers and their retailers. Your POS provider will set up your system to integrate with the new POS Data Platform.
Retailers are encouraged to contact their POS provider to confirm they will be working with OCS to implement the new platform. A list of providers who are ready to onboard retailers can be found here.
Data Security
According to a written notice, AGCO says they have put several security measures in place to ensure the protection of retail data. This includes security and vulnerability testing with a third-party to thoroughly test the platform before the beginning of the pilot, and the use of encryption hashing and security best practices.
No new or additional data will be collected through the POS Data Platform.