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During this extraordinary and challenging time, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) shares everyone’s concerns about the toll the outbreak of this virus is taking on our communities and the businesses, individuals and families that are affected by it. We wish to offer as much guidance and support as we can to all those who rely on the AGCO’s services.
We have received a request for extended hours of alcohol sale for retail stores for a limited period during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As you are aware, the permissible hours of alcohol retail sale for retail stores are Monday to Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
I understand that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many grocery stores are offering special early shopping hours for vulnerable peoples, including seniors, to allow them to shop for essential food items during less crowded times. I applaud this caring and compassionate support for our communities. A temporary extension of retail operating hours for the sale of alcohol would allow these customers to have the same options at grocery stores authorized to sell beer, wine, and cider, during these special, early shopping hours. As well, this temporary extension of hours will provide retail stores greater flexibility to choose their hours of alcohol sale.
As Registrar, I hereby authorize an extension of alcohol sale hours to 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. until April 30, 2020, provided that such hours of alcohol sale conform to municipal by-laws otherwise in effect.
Individual retail store locations are not required to operate during the extended permissible hours of sale and may choose to shorten their hours of operation.
I appreciate that circumstances continue to evolve during this unprecedented period. We will continue monitoring the situation and will evaluate at a later date whether to continue the temporary extension of hours beyond April 30, 2020.
If you have any questions, please contact Devin Sookdeo, Manager, Liquor Eligibility at Devin.Sookdeo@agco.ca.
Thank you.
Yours truly,
Jean Major
Registrar
