CICC takes stock of first year anniversary of beverage alcohol sales in Ontario
It has been a little over a year since Ontario opened its beverage alcohol market in the province.
Last year at this time Premier Doug Ford held a news conference to announce his government’s expansion of the beverage alcohol market, allowing consumers the ability to purchase coolers and other ready-to-drink beverages alongside more pack sizes at grocery stores, and allowing convenience stores in the province to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages if they choose to do so.
“We are delivering on our commitment to give consumers in Ontario the choice and convenience every other Canadian enjoys and we’re doing so even sooner than we had originally promised,” said Premier Doug Ford upon the expansion of beverage alcohol sales in Ontario. “In the coming weeks and months, people in Ontario, like many Canadians across the country, will have the option to responsibly and conveniently purchase a case of beer or a bottle of wine on their way up to the cottage or to a summer barbecue, all while having even more opportunity to support local Ontario breweries and wineries.”
Anne Kothawala, president and CEO of the Convenience Industry Council of Canada, (CICC), has released a statement on the first anniversary of beverage alcohol being sold in Ontario convenience stores, and the impact it has had on CICC members and Ontario’s convenience stores across the province.
“One year ago, Ontario took a bold step to modernize its alcohol retail system, allowing thousands of convenience stores to sell beer, wine, and ready-to-drink beverages. This wasn’t just a policy shift—it was a recognition that consumers deserve greater convenience and that local businesses, the backbone of communities, need support,” she wrote. “A recent member retailer survey conducted by the Convenience Industry Council of Canada underscores the significant benefits stemming from the beverage alcohol modernization changes. Sales in our channel have increased by an average of 12%, driven by an increase in foot traffic.”
Kothawala added that during long weekends in the province, like Victoria Day and Canada Day, sales for CICC’s members increased by an average of 33%, “demonstrating that Ontarians value the expanded choice and convenience available during times when other retail outlets are closed. The results are clear: Ontarians appreciate the choice and convenience that comes with expansion, reaffirming the success of the ongoing rollout.”
While Kothawala writes she is and the CICC are proud of the progress made so far, she added that further change is needed.
“This fall, the government must improve how beverage alcohol is distributed,” she added. “Right now, many convenience retailers are placing multiple orders each week just to keep shelves stocked, navigating a system that is far more complicated than it needs to be. The result is unnecessary headaches, extra paperwork and overall inefficiency that is an administrative burden for small business owners while translating into too many out-of-stock products for customers.
A more efficient system is a win-win: fewer operational challenges for convenience retailers, while providing Ontarians with expanded choice and convenience.”
