TORONTO -- Ontario will allow cannabis delivery and curbside pick up from authorized retail stores during the COVID-19 pandemic after they were taken off the essential businesses list.

A news release from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario says this temporary measure is the result of an emergency order introduced Tuesday and will continue for the next 14 days, with the possibility of an extension.

It says this measure will also help fight the illegal cannabis market.

The commission says authorized cannabis stores can sell, deliver and offer curbside pick up of up to 30 grams of weed from Monday to Sunday, between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., and customers must pay for their products in advance by phone or online.

On Friday, Premier Doug Ford announced stringent measures to avert thousands of potential fatalities due to COVID-19 by shuttering several businesses including cannabis shops, with only the province's online sales portal remaining open.

Cannabis retailers across the province welcomed the emergency order saying curbside pick up and delivery affords many smaller retailers the ability to generate much-needed revenue.

"We've been working closely with the Government of Ontario on ways to support cannabis retail store operators and legal recreational cannabis consumers since the stores were ordered to close following a provincial order declaring a state of emergency," Jean Major, CEO of the commission said in a release.

"This new measure helps address consumer demand and maintain a revenue stream for store operators while supporting the government's broader objectives."