LCBO report to be released today...

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:11 am

...and from all accounts, our honourable Members Of Parliament are going to reject its major recommendations:

TORONTO (CP) - Beer and wine won't be sold in Ontario grocery stores any time soon despite an independent report that recommends the move, sources say.

The idea is one of several major recommendations to be released Monday by a four-member panel that reviewed Ontario's provincially-run retail booze business. But government sources say the province currently has no intention of allowing grocers to sell beer and wine. "There will be no major policy changes to how alcohol is distributed" one source told The Canadian Press.

The wide-ranging Beverage Alcohol System Review will recommend making beer and wine available at big grocery stores such as Loblaws or Dominion, and at large department stores that also sell food such as Wal-Mart, but not necessarily at corner stores.

The door would be open for the province to change its mind later but for now, sources say the Liberals are reticent about any measures that could potentially make it easier for teenagers to get their hands on alcohol.

[full story here]

inertiaboy · Post by **inertiaboy** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:19 am

The website for the review board:

http://www.beveragealcoholreview.on.ca/en/home.htm

The report will be released at 1pm.

KeithsGuy · Post by **KeithsGuy** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:22 am

I've always wanted to open an independant store like Beers of the World!

s.

inertiaboy · Post by **inertiaboy** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:43 pm

Something out now:

http://www.beveragealcoholreview.on.ca/ ... 8_2005.htm

GregClow · Post by **GregClow** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:12 pm

Here's the full report:
http://www.beveragealcoholreview.on.ca/en/report.htm

And the government's first response:
http://www.gov.on.ca/FIN/english/media/ ... 7-basr.htm

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:53 pm

Pretty sad that it takes the government an hour to basically reject the recommendation that took six months to build. I wonder if anyone read it. I doubt there's any chance they'll adopt any other recos.

detritus · Post by **detritus** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:54 pm

Aaaaarrrrrggggghhhh.

That about sums it up.

-Josh

A · Post by A » Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:58 pm

Well, considering the report recommended auctioning a limited number of licences per area, which they even admit would be snapped up by Walmart, Loblaws, and large gas stations, who cares? Do you really think we would see more selection from this?

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:59 pm

I think everyone should email Sorbara and their MPP about why they outright rejected this: finance.communications@fin.gov.on.ca.

Cass · Post by **Cass** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:05 pm

A wrote:Well, considering the report recommended auctioning a limited number of licences per area, which they even admit would be snapped up by Walmart, Loblaws, and large gas stations, who cares? Do you really think we would see more selection from this?

Except, that if it was possible to get beer at Loblaws and Walmart we would have something previously unavailable, and that is competition. And I can't think of any competition that doesn't lead to a better enviornment for consumers (be it price, selection or convenience).

inertiaboy · Post by **inertiaboy** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:16 pm

Except, that if it was possible to get beer at Loblaws and Walmart we would have something previously unavailable, and that is competition. And I can't think of any competition that doesn't lead to a better enviornment for consumers (be it price, selection or convenience).

What it would open up is the possibility that some of these stores will employ people who both know about good beer and will have some ability to stock it. It really only takes one or two of them to start to create that niche we are looking for. That would be a positive first step.

screw2000 · Post by **screw2000** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:35 pm

Cass wrote:Pretty sad that it takes the government an hour to basically reject the recommendation that took six months to build. I wonder if anyone read it. I doubt there's any chance they'll adopt any other recos.

... which makes you wonder why they even bothered with this whole exercise in the first place.

Gunny · Post by **Gunny** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:40 pm

screw2000 wrote:
Cass wrote:Pretty sad that it takes the government an hour to basically reject the recommendation that took six months to build. I wonder if anyone read it. I doubt there's any chance they'll adopt any other recos.
... which makes you wonder why they even bothered with this whole exercise in the first place.

Yes, it seems odd and counterproductive to waste time and money on a predetermined outcome.

JerCraigs · Post by **JerCraigs** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:40 pm

I really can't see Loblaws or Walmart making much available that we couldn't get otherwise. Molson and Labatt might be a bit cheaper...

There is a *small* possibility that you might see a chain like that offering a store in downtown Toronto offering uber-premium offerings. This could go either way... the market has to be there to support it as always.

screw2000 · Post by **screw2000** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:52 pm

My experience with the Loblaws-run "Real Canadian Liquorstore" (yes, it has that same "angry yellow" decor as the Superstore grocery stores) in Alberta was somewhat underwhelming.

As far as product selection, it's on par with a suburban LCBO store, just with twice as much stock of any particular item. You're not gonna find anything exotic, but for mainstream stuff, it's dirt-cheap.

Aesthetically, it's a train wreck, the 'no-frills' (pun not intended) layout vaguely reminds me of what the Alberta government liquor stores were like pre-privatization, only on a big-box store scale.