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February 18, 2016 – This morning the Premier of Ontario and the Minister of Finance released the report providing details of the changes to the sale of wine in Ontario, which will begin with an initial launch of grocery stores later this year.
Download full report HERE.
As we have previously indicated, the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG) had to work within the framework established by the government.
For the first changes in almost 90 years to how beer and wine is sold in the province, the government has opted to move for an incremental approach to making changes. In their view, the current system provides the lowest prices of beer and wine in the entire country; ensures they maintain the revenue source from the LCBO that keeps taxes in check; recognizes the trade treaty issues at stake and strikes a balance between a wide open approach vs those that worry about the social responsibility issue of more access to wine.
Those were the factors that led the government to establish the framework outlined in the report released today, the link to which we have provided below. Within that framework, the role of CFIG was to ensure independents received a guarantee of receiving a fair allocation of licenses issued. That has been achieved.
Read press release from Government.
The allocation of 25% of the licences for our members is fair. As we move forward in the months ahead, CFIG will continue to remain engaged with the government on this issue in terms of what is working and what is not working. We believe the system will continue to evolve.
We also urge our members to participate in the webinar (details below) that is being hosted by the LCBO and the AGCO on February 23. Again, we thank you for your support.
| EVENT REMINDER: |
| Stakeholder Webinar Series |
BEER IN GROCERY STORES:
A REGULATORY OVERVIEW
Following the recent launch of beer sales in a number of large and independent grocery stores across Ontario, this interactive webinar will offer an overview on the rules and regulations relating to the sale of beer in grocery stores.
Representatives from Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) and the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) will address a number of key issues, including:
- meeting your obligations regarding the responsible sale of beer
- understanding program rules, including those relating to store eligibility, in-store promotions, and advertising activities
- the top inquiries and observations from the first two months of the program
- learning about how to get beer products on grocery store shelves
During the webinar, panelists will be available to answer your questions.
Webinar Date
Tuesday, February 23, 2016, 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Who Should Participate?
Executives, managers and staff of grocery stores which are authorized to sell beer or interested in pursuing future authorizations to sell beer; beer manufacturers; manufacturers’ representatives; municipal officials; local police services; local public health units.
How to Participate
To access and register for the webinar, please click here.
For more information, please reach us at webinars@agco.ca
