Alcohol Retail Expansion

• Consumers will start experiencing more choice and convenience when shopping for their favourite beverage alcohol products starting later this summer.
• The phased expansion and rollout beginning later this summer and into the fall will include expanding large pack-sizes of beer, ready-to-drink alcohol beverages (RTD) and wine to the 450 licensed grocery stores that currently sell alcohol, expanding the sale of beer, cider, wine and RTD beverages to convenience stores and expanding the sale of beer, cider, wine and RTD beverages to new grocery stores.
• As part of this expansion, consumers will also benefit from competitive retail pricing across all new points of sale and The Beer Store. Uniform retail pricing will remain in place for the LCBO’s retail network.
• Over time, this new, more open marketplace will introduce up to 8,500 new stores where these products can be purchased, the largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition almost 100 years ago.
• The Beer Store and LCBO will continue to play a significant role in the future marketplace, with The Beer Store continuing to play a role in Ontario’s alcohol marketplace in distribution, recycling and as a retailer. The LCBO will remain a public asset and will continue to operate as a wholesaler and a retailer. A full complement of spirits like vodka, gin and whisky will continue to be sold exclusively via the LCBO network.
• Through the lead up to the opening of the new marketplace, the government will continue to meet and consult with industry partners, local beverage alcohol producers and other stakeholders and partners to work together on their role in the new marketplace.
• The government will be taking a socially responsible approach to help ensure the transition to a new marketplace is safe, stable and predictable.