TORONTO, ON – The 42nd Parliament of Ontario started its first legislative session this week, and the customary Speech From The Throne outlining the new government’s agenda included one item of special interest to the province’s beer drinkers.
As promised by Premier Doug Ford during the election, the Progressive Conservative government intends to greatly expand retail sales of beer and wine in Ontario.
The relevant section, as read by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell, is as follows:
Your new government will respect consumers and trust adults to make the responsible choices that work best for them. That’s why it will expand the sale of beer and wine to convenience stores, grocery stores and big-box stores.
No timelines have been announced for the new legislation, and for the time being, retail beer sales in Ontario remain limited to the LCBO, the Beer Store, brewery retail stores, and select grocery stores that received licenses under the previous Liberal government.