Ontario Premier Doug Ford announces a groundbreaking move allowing beer, wine, cider, and ready-to-drink cocktails sales in convenience stores and all grocery outlets by 2026, marking a significant shift in the province’s alcohol sales landscape. This decision heralded as one of the most substantial changes in Ontario’s history, signifies a major step, making the province the second in Canada to sell beer in corner stores and the first to offer ready-to-drink cocktails in these locations. Ford’s pledge, originally made in 2018, signifies a second attempt to introduce beer and wine in corner stores. The new agreement will dissolve the current Beer Store contract by 2025, enabling over 8,500 retail locations to set prices independently. The deal ensures dedicated shelf space for small-scale beer and wine producers, while the Beer Store retains a predominant role in the beer distribution and recycling programmes for five years.

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