The government of Ontario has announced plans to expand the sale of alcohol outside of the LCBO, increasing the variety and convenience for consumers. Beginning on August 1, 2024, Ontarians will be able to purchase products like coolers and ready-to-drink beverages at licensed grocery stores. This expansion will continue throughout the summer and fall, with convenience stores and big-box stores also being granted permission to sell beer, cider, wine, and other alcoholic beverages in various pack sizes. The government is aiming to provide consumers with more choice and convenience in purchasing alcohol, while also supporting local breweries and wineries.
Premier Doug Ford expressed the government’s commitment to delivering on their promises to provide Ontarians with the same choices and convenience enjoyed by consumers in other provinces. The expansion of alcohol sales to new retailers will include a wider selection of local, domestic, and international products. This marks a significant departure from the original plan set out in December, which aimed to have alcohol sold in corner stores by 2026. The government is now accelerating this timeline to provide consumers with access to a broader range of alcoholic beverages sooner than expected.
In order to support this expansion, the government has committed up to $225 million to The Beer Store, allowing them to make necessary investments over the next 19 months. This funding will help protect jobs and ensure the continued operation of locations for recycling and bottle return services until at least 2031. While other retailers will be able to sell beer, cider, wine, and ready-to-drink beverages, the LCBO will remain the exclusive provider of hard liquors such as vodka, gin, and whiskey. This new marketplace will introduce up to 8,500 new stores where consumers can purchase alcohol, marking the largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition almost 100 years ago.
The government’s phased approach to expanding alcohol sales is aimed at providing Ontarians with greater access to a wider variety of alcoholic beverages. By allowing grocery stores, convenience stores, and big-box stores to sell beer, cider, wine, and ready-to-drink beverages, consumers will have more options for purchasing alcohol. This expansion will also create more opportunities for consumers to support local breweries and wineries by offering a larger selection of local and domestic products. The government is focused on increasing consumer choice and convenience while also ensuring the continued operation of existing businesses like The Beer Store and the LCBO.
Premier Doug Ford emphasized the importance of this expansion in providing Ontarians with the same opportunities as consumers in other provinces. The accelerated timeline for allowing new retailers to sell alcohol will enable consumers to purchase a case of beer or a bottle of wine more conveniently, for occasions such as cottage trips or summer barbecues. The government’s investment in The Beer Store and commitment to maintaining the LCBO as the exclusive provider of hard liquors demonstrates their intention to support the existing retail infrastructure while broadening consumer choice. This expansion of alcohol sales is expected to have a significant impact on the availability and variety of alcoholic beverages in Ontario, marking a historic shift in consumer options since the end of prohibition.
