E-Malt.com News article: Canada, ON: Ontario will not allow convenience stores to sell beer

Large convenience store chains will make another pitch on October 29 to allow them to sell beer and wine, but Ontario's Liberal government says it is not interested, according to Global Post.

The Ontario Convenience Stores Association — which includes Avondale, 7-11 and Mac's as well as Petro-Canada, Imperial Oil and Canadian Tire — wants to sell local wines and craft beers.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa says while the Liberals plan to put Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) outlets in some grocery stores, they won't allow sales of beer and wine in corner stores.

Sousa says the Liberals will stick with existing plans, in part because government-run liquor stores and the foreign-owned Beer Store do a good job of keeping minors from buying booze.

The Progressive Conservatives have released a white paper calling for the expansion of beer and wine sales to privately-owned retail outlets.

But the New Democrats say they support the government's position that the LCBO provides get services and product selection in a socially-responsible manner, and there's no need to expand beer and wine sales to corner stores.

"You look at LCBO stores you have great choice of products, you've got affordability and it's really a service that's responsible in regards to how you sell alcohol," said NDP house leader Gilles Bisson. "We have to take our responsibility when it comes to alcohol to make sure that only those people of age are able to buy it."

The convenience stores association also wants the province to restrict what products the Beer Store can sell, complaining some locations offer "confectionery goods, clothing, gift cards, and barbecue paraphernalia" such as propane tanks.

"The fact that The Beer Store was granted a monopoly in this province to sell beer products, rightly or wrongly, should be reason enough to limit them from competing with businesses that currently do not have the same government granted ability," the association said in a submission to Ontario's Alcohol and Gaming Commission.

"In not prescribing a set list that is considered fair by our sector, The Beer Store will always have the potential to become 'convenience stores that sell beer' and put legitimate family run stores out of business."

There are already 219 LCBO agency stores inside convenience stores in communities that aren't large enough to support a regular liquor store, and the Liberals plan to put LCBO Express outlets in 10 grocery stores as a pilot project.

The government has also been "investing heavily" to promote the sales of Vintners' Quality Alliance wines through private stores, added Sousa.

"In fact, we just came out with new boutique stores that highlight home grown wines and local craft beers," he said.

The Convenience Stores' Association said it represents 10,000 retailers employing about 75,000 people across Ontario.




30 October, 2013