Beer will soon be sold in 300 grocery stores across Ontario, but it may be a while before we have the same easy access to wine. Last month Complex reported that the Liberal government has plans to make beer and wine available in supermarkets, now that plan is coming to fruition.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa will formally announce the new beer plan with the provincial budget on April 23. This will come after a final report by the Premier’s Advisory Council on Government Assets, led by banker Ed Clark, highlighting proposals to maximize the value of Hydro One, Ontario Power Generation, and the LCBO.
According to the CBC, Clarke’s plans include The Beer Store paying a fee for its 80 per cent hold on Ontario beer sales, so taxpayers can profit from the company.
While plans for beer hitting supermarkets have gone smoothly, wine is going to take longer than originally planned. The Toronto Star reported that Clarke still has several complications to work out before the government can move ahead.
“The fact is we do have wine that’s being sold already in some grocery stores,” Wynne said earlier this week. “We need to build on that ... but the beer store was the entry point into leveling the playing field, creating more convenience and more fairness.”
Premier Wynne said she wants to see greater access to Ontario’s craft brewers. She said it is difficult, and expensive for these small breweries to offer their product within The Beer Store, and hopes that consumers and brewers will both benefit from offering beer in grocery stores.
The 300 licences to sell beer in supermarkets will be auctioned off according to the Toronto Star. The auctioning process will make it so no grocery company can purchase more than 25 per cent of the coveted licences.
The licences are only approved for supermarkets, with no plans to bring beer to corner stores anytime soon.
