An online drug store, online pharmacy, or pharmacy mail order is a drugstore that operates online and delivers prescriptions to consumers via mail, shipping firms, or pharmacy web portal. In Canada, pharmacies that operate on the Internet also offer prescriptions at no charge to the consumer. Internet mail order pharmacies are available in most cities throughout Canada, although services may be limited in areas of Atlantic Canada, and services for online prescription services are often available only to people who have obtained pharmacy licenses. There is usually a monthly fee for using mail-order or online services.

The Canadian pharmacy mail order sector was introduced in Ontario in October, 2020 with the intention of increasing convenience for both consumers and pharmacists. The concept was tried in British Columbia but the province's pharmacists formed the Pharmacy Drug Evidence Service (PDES) in recognition of the need for a standardized mail order service. In Ontario, the provincial pharmacist association is the main supporter of developing this system. Pharmacies that do not use PDES-style packaging and labels will not be recognized by provincial regulation as qualifying pharmacies, and therefore will not be entitled to any rebate or credit, and will not be able to provide prescription coverage.

The introduction of PDES services in Ontario brought with it an increased number of chain and independent pharmacies that started offering the same services as the major chain retailers. As more chain stores began offering mail ordering prescription services, the need for an independent pharmacy offering this service became important. The introduction of a non-chain, more locally owned pharmacy offering mail ordering became necessary. A number of community pharmacists now offer this same service exclusively. Many community pharmacists also work closely with health care professionals such as nurses, physicians, and other licensed health care practitioners. For these services, there needs to be a standardized format and contract.

The Canadian pharmacies offering mail order services differ in many ways, including their pricing, services offered, type of pharmacies, types of pharmacies available, and other considerations. They can vary greatly in the way they set their prices, which can be very high in some areas and very low in others. For example, pharmacies located in small rural areas may be far less expensive than those in larger cities. There are so many variables, but some of the main factors are the quality of the service, selection of pharmacies, accessibility of the service, pricing and benefits of using the service.

Canadian pharmacies that offer mail ordering as one of their services are required to meet a number of criteria that must be met before being accepted as a pharmacy offering mail order prescriptions. These pharmacies have to be fully licensed with the Federal Drug Administration and must offer competitive prices for the service. Many times, a pharmacy can be approved as an authorized provider of mail order prescriptions if it meets certain criteria, such as a meeting of the criteria that the FDA set forth for them. This allows authorized providers to offer more competitive prices and to increase their market share.

Another consideration for a mail order pharmacy to consider is whether or not they can accept all forms of health insurance. Some people choose to use mail order to get their prescriptions because of the convenience and privacy that they provide. Others want the same convenience and privacy, but are unable to receive prescriptions through this method due to a lack of insurance or a policy they cannot afford to pay for the coverage.