half of Ontario’s convenience stores are now licensed to sell beer and wine starting next month.
This means that over half of Ontario’s approximately 6,700 convenience stores are already licensed to sell beer, cider, wine, and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages beginning on September 5, the first Thursday after the Labour Day weekend. Newly licensed grocery stores will be able to start selling the same alcoholic drinks starting October 31.
The AGCO has clarified that stores are prohibited from selling alcohol before the official start date, even if they have already received their liquor licenses.
As the Ontario government expands alcohol sales to more locations, the AGCO confirmed it has received additional funding from the province to boost staffing for “compliance and enforcement activities.” Raymond Kahnert of the AGCO stated in an email to CTV News Toronto that the agency has increased its inspection capacity by about 25 percent to ensure the safe and responsible sale of alcohol by licensees in this expanded retail market.
To obtain a liquor license, eligible convenience and grocery stores must meet several criteria under the province’s Liquor Licence and Control Act, including adhering to a comprehensive compliance monitoring process. Employees must be at least 18 years old and complete an AGCO Board-approved training program before the store can sell alcohol. While some grocery stores operate 24 hours, all licensed locations are restricted to selling alcohol only between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. from Monday to Sunday. Additionally, grocery stores can only sell beverages with an alcohol content no greater than 7.1 percent by volume and cannot sell wine with an alcohol content higher than 18 percent.
License holders are required to adhere to these regulations at all times, or they may face penalties, including fines, suspension, or revocation of their license, depending on the severity of the violation.
Meanwhile, about 10,000 Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) workers returned to work on July 22 after a weeks-long strike in response to Premier Doug Ford’s plan to expand alcohol sales. The union had argued that the expansion threatened the future of LCBO workers. The strike ended with a three-year agreement that includes an eight percent wage increase, the conversion of nearly 1,000 casual employees to permanent part-time positions, and a guarantee that no LCBO stores will close during the contract period.
