Ford's decision to speed up alcohol sales expansion to cost province $612M: report
Ontario's budget watchdog estimates that the government's decision to speed up the rollout of alcohol sales in corner stores will cost the province more than $600 million.
That's nearly three times the amount the Progressive Conservative government said it would cost to accelerate the timeline.
The Financial Accountability Officer says in a report today that the expansion of beer, wine and coolers to convenience stores, big box stores and more grocery stores will cost $1.4 billion through to 2030, and $612 million of that is due to the sped-up timing.
Premier Doug Ford's previous plan was to expand sales of those alcoholic offerings by 2026, but in May he announced that would instead happen in 2024.
READ: Ontario Premier says he will not budge on plan to have RTD cocktails sold in c-stores
The province said an "early implementation agreement" with The Beer Store involves Ontario paying the company up to $225 million to help it keep stores open and workers employed.
That announcement first sparked speculation of an early election call — which Ford has now confirmed is happening Wednesday — when the premier was asked if he was trying to get booze in corner stores before an election and he wouldn't commit to sticking to the June 2026 fixed date.