The Ontario government will be enacting the largest expansion of alcohol sales since the end of prohibition by allowing booze to be sold in convenience and grocery stores and gas stations. “By no later than January 2026, people in Ontario will be able to buy beer, wine, cider and other ready-to-drink (RTD) alcohol beverages like coolers and seltzers at their local convenience store just like this one or at grocery and big box stores,” said Ontario Premier Doug Ford at a Thursday press conference. “Spirits like vodka, gin and whisky will continue to be sold at the LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario).” Ford said the expanded marketplace “will give people more choice, more convenience, and more time.” Instead of being stuck in a long line at the LCBO on a Friday in December, he said people will soon be able to pop into their local convenience or grocery store to grab a bottle of wine before heading out to a holiday party. In the summer, people will be able to buy a case of beer at a grocery or big box store while they stock up on food before they head to their cottages. These new rules put Ontario in line with other Canadian provinces. He said the Ontario government will be removing restrictions on the size of bungle packages to allow people to purchase 12, 24, and 30 packs of alcoholic drinks regardless of where they make their purchase. To continue to support Ontario producers, he said they will be given shelf space and receive the supports they need to grow their sales and protect their workforces. This new open marketplace will create new opportunities for local brewers, wineries and retailers. It will support local jobs and is intended to give people more choice and convenience. Since his government was elected in 2018, Ford said it has been working hard to make life easier and more convenient for Ontario families. All across government, it has put customers first, modernized outdated regulations and reduced red tape. Ontario Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy started off the press conference by saying the provincial government has expanded alcohol sales to hundreds of new places. “But the Master Framework Agreement (MFA) signed by the previous government in 2015 limited us on how far we could expand the sale of alcohol in Ontario,” said Bethlenfalvy. “This is because the agreement limited the number and types of retail stores that could sell us, creating less choice and creating inconvenience for consumers.” To change that, Bethlenfalvy said the Ontario government informed the Beer Store the MFA will not be renewed after it expires on December 31, 2025. As it takes this step forward, he pledged to ensure Ontario’s alcohol retail landscape remains stable, smooth and responsible. Ford followed up by saying people should be able to buy alcohol whenever and wherever they want. “We've got to start treating people like adults here in the province,” he said. “It’s right across our country, it’s across all 50 states and to be very frank, it’s across the world.” He said Ontario is the one jurisdiction in the world where people are limited to buying beer in the Beer Store. While this move could hurt the Beer Store, he said the Ontario government will continue working with it. The Ontario government prepared on Tuesday to unveil its plan for changing how alcohol is sold in the province by allowing all grocery and convenience stores and gas stations to sell booze starting in 2026. READ MORE: UPDATED: Ontario government to allow alcohol sales in corner stores, gas stationsSources said the plan went to cabinet on Tuesday and the announcement would be made on Thursday. These sources said the main changes included allowing all convenience stores and gas stations that sell food to offer beer, wine, cider and any RTD alcoholic beverages; allowing grocery stores to sell beer, wine, cider and RTDs, scrapping the existing cap on the number with licences; and ending restrictions permitting the Beer Store to sell cases of 12 and 24.
