It’s a booze-fueled brawl.
Premier Doug Ford is rushing the sale of “ready-to-drink” cocktails to 450 supermarkets in a surprise gambit denounced by striking LCBO workers as a provocation.
“This is an important milestone for grocery retailers and consumers alike as we continue our work modernizing Ontario’s alcohol marketplace,” Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said Monday.
“As the next step in the government’s plan to give people in Ontario more choice and convenience, licensed grocery stores will be able to order ready-to-drink beverages and large beer pack sizes starting Thursday … and begin selling them immediately upon arrival,” said Bethlenfalvy.
“This new timeline accelerates the first phase of the government’s plan to expand alcohol sales to grocery, convenience and big-box stores by allowing the 450 grocery stores that are currently licensed to sell beer, cider or wine to sell them once they arrive in store, rather than Aug. 1,” he said.
That means Ontarians should be able to purchase the ready-to-drink beverages — such as Bacardi Breeze and Mike’s Hard Lemonade — in supermarkets as early as next week.
For the time being, such drinks would only be available in the 450 stores licensed to sell six-packs of beer and wine by former premier Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals in 2015.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents the more than 9,000 workers whose strike has closed 680 LCBO stores since July 5, blasted the Progressive Conservative premier.
“Doug Ford is only focused on pushing his harmful agenda — he can’t be trusted,” said Colleen MacLeod, chair of the OPSEU bargaining team.
“Ford’s picking a fight with workers and the people of Ontario who are in this fight with us,” said MacLeod.
“It’s why we’re fighting for a fair collective agreement at the table and for better policies in the streets,” she said, adding “it’s on Ford to end this strike, after all — he forced it to justify his rushed alcohol everywhere scheme.”
Liquor Control Board of Ontario chief executive George Soleas on Monday blamed the 10-day liquor store strike on OPSEU for hitting the bricks before hearing out the Crown-owned retailer.
“The offer stands and we remain prepared to negotiate collective bargaining issues,” said Soleas.
But OPSEU president JP Hornick, said “it is absolutely not true” the union walked away from the table.
“The mediator, to my understanding, determined that we were at an impasse and called off talks,” said Hornick noting the union has not heard directly from the LCBO or the mediator about a resumption of bargaining.
The labour dispute has shuttered the LCBO’s 680 stores for the first time in the 97-year history of the government booze monopoly.
Soleas said OPSEU told the LCBO “no deal was possible unless the government changed its current policy on ready-to-drink beverages in grocery and conveniences stores, and revoked regulations passed by the government and legislature of Ontario.”
He emphasized the LCBO does “not set government policy and/or alcohol regulation in Ontario.”
The strike came six weeks after Ford announced he would pay The Beer Store $225 million to expedite the previously announced Dec. 31, 2025 deadline for expanded liberalization of alcohol sales.
Under his changes, beer, wine and premixed beverages will be sold at 8,500 licensed supermarkets, convenience stores and big-box outlets by Oct. 31.
Currently, the LCBO has a monopoly on most “ready-to-drink” alcoholic beverages, which is the fastest growing booze category.
Ford told the union last Wednesday that “if they want to negotiate over (ready-to-drink beverages), the deal’s off … that ship has sailed — it’s halfway across Lake Ontario.”
But the premier said the LCBO would remain a public asset and retain its exclusive rights for the sale of spirits, such as whisky, vodka, gin, rum and tequila, and it would control the wholesale distribution of wine and ready-to-drink products to all private retailers.
Last week, Ford said the LCBO had made a fair offer to OPSEU, including seven per cent raises over three years and a pledge to move 400 casual employees into full-time jobs.
Soleas said Monday that “the union has never responded to the LCBO’s proposal.”
“The offer stands and we remain prepared to negotiate collective bargaining issues,” he said.
On Sunday, the LCBO scrapped plans to re-open 32 stores for limited hours later this week.
Instead, it will focus resources to online shopping on its website.
NDP Leader Marit Stiles, Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie and Green Leader Mike Schreiner have blamed Ford’s booze liberalization push for the job action.
