Ontario to start expansion of alcohol sales in convenience and grocery stores this summer

Alcohol sales in Ontario will be enhanced in grocery stores and expanded to convenience stores this summer, a year-and-a-half sooner than expected, following a deal that will see the Ontario government provide The Beer Store up to $225 million for the early rollout.

Alcohol sales in Ontario will be enhanced in grocery stores and expanded to convenience stores this summer, a year-and-a-half sooner than expected, following a deal that will see the Ontario government provide The Beer Store up to $225 million for the early rollout.

"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," Premier Doug Ford said in a statement Friday.

The expansion in grocery stores could begin as soon as Aug. 1, when grocery stores which are already licensed will be allowed to start selling ready-to-drink beverages as well as large-pack sizes of beer.

Convenience stores will then be allowed to start selling beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink beverages as early as Sept. 5.

As of Oct. 31, all eligible grocery and big box stores will be able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink beverages, including large-pack sizes.

"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," Ford said.

A master framework agreement signed in 2015 under the previous Liberal government limited the expansion of beer and wine sales in the province and was set to expire in 2025.