Expanding the sale of beer, wine and other lower-alcohol beverages to Ontario convenience and grocery stores is good news to at least one local brewer.
Last week's announcement would mean beginning Jan. 1, 2026, participating convenience, grocery or big box stores will be able to sell beer, wine, cider, seltzers, coolers and ready-to-drink cocktails. Ontario would become the second jurisdiction in Canada to do so after Quebec, the government said in a release.
Ricardo Irivarren, founder of Miski Brewing in Barrie, said the announcement is “the best thing that (he) has heard in the last six months.”
The Craft Brewers Association had been working with the government to attempt to alleviate some of the tax pressure and make some changes, but he said he was not actually expecting the news.
“We welcome that because it will give us 8,000 more points of sale available to us in the province and that is a great opportunity for small brewers who are not able to be (at) the LCBO,” he said.
“I am lucky that I am at the LCBO. It’s a great window, however in my case, as a gluten-free organic type of beer, we need to go closer to where our main clients are, which is all over," said Irivarren.
"People who have limitations with diet and other restrictions are spread through the whole province. Being able to reach closer to them through the convenience store locations will allow us to be more accessible.”
Irivarren said he believes it was “about time” the government made the change.
“The industry was under a lot of pressure so I am glad ... even though it’s not until 2025. There are a lot of things that need to be arranged. Distribution is going to be a challenge, but it’s going to be a fair competition to be on those shelves,” he said.
There will be no restrictions on the size of cases. Any retailer will be able to sell 24- or even 30-packs of beer. The LCBO will remain the only distributor of spirits and continue to sell lower-ABV drinks as well.
New retailers will be able to sell alcohol between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week, Ministry of Finance staff said in a technical briefing for journalists before Premier Doug Ford's announcement earlier this month
The government says the move will open up sales to an estimated 8,500 stores across the province.
Irivarren told BarrieToday he still expects local stores to carry more regional craft beers, noting consumers are often pretty loyal to their smaller, community brewers.
“There is a lot of mentality of supporting local. Small brewers are all over as well and they have the local support. It will be nice to see the local convenience stores and grocery stores can actually do a little push to help local businesses and local brewers,” he said. “It’s pretty common to see some of the small breweries still in business because of the support of the community. That’s great.”
The expansion will also allow others who have the capacity to distribute their product outside of their area to bring their product to a wider audience.
“It’s the final option of the customer to decide, but it’s now more choices, more opportunities to be on somebody else’s shelf. There are more than 300 (craft brewers) in Ontario, but only a few are lucky to be at the LCBO,” he said. “If you don’t have the LCBO or you’re not on the Beer Store shelves, then you are limited to your community. This is a great opportunity … and the good beers will be going further and the consumer will have plenty of good choices.”
The two-year wait is due to the province's master framework agreement with The Beer Store, which limits where beer can be sold in the province. It expires on Dec. 31, 2025.
The Beer Store will still exist, and will still sell beer. It will also continue to run the province's alcohol container recycling system until 2031. The five-year term was decided to give The Beer Store some breathing room, so it could keep distributing beer and operating the recycling program, ministry staff said.
Candice Hildebrandt, general manager of Barnstormers in Barrie's south end, declined to comment and attempts to reach representatives with The Flying Monkey Craft Brewery in the city's downtown went unanswered.
