Toronto, ON —On February 1st, Ontario’s public consultation on alcohol policy officially closed. The Ford Government sought out feedback on how Ontario could modernize its alcohol market. Unfortunately, some entities, like The Beer Store, have actively pushed back against increased consumer access. The Beer Store’s President Ted Moroz recently argued that if the province allows for beer sales in corner stores that “the price of beer in Ontario is likely to go up and 7,000 jobs are going to be put at risk across Ontario.”.

David Clement, Toronto based North American Affairs Manager of the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), said that “The Beer Store arguing against increased consumer access is nothing more than a crony institution clawing on to its selective benefits,” said Clement.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that The Beer Store continue to be shielded from competition. The legislation¬†and agreements that mandate this protection should be immediately addressed so Ontario consumers can have more choice when it comes to where they purchase beer,” said Clement.

“Moroz’s claim that increased competition will drive prices up, and put the entirety of The Beer Store’s workforce at risk is fearmongering and deceitful. Our hope is that Premier Doug Ford listens to consumers, and not The Beer Store, when it comes to how Ontario should modernize alcohol sales,” said Clement.

Beyond ignoring the ridiculous statements put forward by The Beer Store, we recommend that the Province do the following:

• Rip up Ontario’s 10-year agreement with The Beer Store
• End the LCBO’s monopoly on the sale of spirits
• Allow for alcohol sales at businesses already trusted to sell age-restricted goods
• Un-cap the number of licenses for alcohol retail
• Eliminate price uniformity to encourage competition
• Allow for retailers to purchase directly from producers

***CCC North American Affairs Manager David Clement is available to speak with accredited media on consumer regulations and consumer choice issues.