Beer is now available in Ontario convenience stores, and life continues as usual.

When Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced plans to allow convenience stores to sell beer, wine, and coolers starting in September, it seemed like a modest change—aligning Ontario with many other provinces and U.S. states that have long allowed this.

But in Ontario, nothing is ever straightforward.

Matt Gurney, a journalist, commentator, and co-founder of The Line, reflects on the inconsistency of policies in the province.

‘If you were an alien observing from a mothership, and you looked at Ontario’s beer monopoly, free-market cannabis, and supervised injection sites for opioids, you’d struggle to figure out what this jurisdiction’s stance on harmful substances is,’ says Gurney.

The decision has cost the government hundreds of millions of dollars, fueled debates about the availability of intoxicants, and provoked outrage from advocacy groups. Why is it so hard for Ontario to be normal about alcohol?