The Bar Towel

The new PC leader says:

15. Will you commit to reforming the LCBO’s government monopoly? If so, please explain.

Yes. I believe we must have more choice and competition in Ontario’s wine, beer and liquor
sales. That’s why I have introduced Bill 7, the VQA Wine Stores Act, which would allow
Ontario wineries to group together to sell Ontario VQA wines in a single store as one way to
help increase competition and choice. As Premier, I will take steps to create more choice
for consumers and expand opportunities for Ontario producers, including VQA wine stores
and craft beer stores.



typical PC....keep all the gov't monopolies intact...

$ wrote:The new PC leader says:

15. Will you commit to reforming the LCBO’s government monopoly? If so, please explain.

Yes. I believe we must have more choice and competition in Ontario’s wine, beer and liquor
sales. That’s why I have introduced Bill 7, the VQA Wine Stores Act, which would allow
Ontario wineries to group together to sell Ontario VQA wines in a single store as one way to
help increase competition and choice. As Premier, I will take steps to create more choice
for consumers and expand opportunities for Ontario producers, including VQA wine stores
and craft beer stores.



typical PC....keep all the gov't monopolies intact...

If he's opening up new types of stores outside of the LCBO though (which I presume is what he means by a VQA Wine Store, correct me if I'm wrong), he's loosening the monopoly. In a scenario where the LCBO is likely not going to disappear at any point in the near future, making them actually compete (and therefore taking away the monopoly) is the next best option.

The LCBO has a lot to offer and I like it. I just wish it wasn't the only option.

My uncle tells me that end of the BC Monopoly has meant the government run stores out there have really had to improve to match what the private stores were doing. Sounds like a good way to go to me.

icemachine wrote:My uncle tells me that end of the BC Monopoly has meant the government run stores out there have really had to improve to match what the private stores were doing. Sounds like a good way to go to me.

Exactly what I was getting at - even with only 4 private licenses given out in Halifax the NSLC has improved infinitely over what it was service-wise. I suspect wine selection has improved more so than beer, as the private stores were intended to be wine shops, but there have been a few interesting things to make their way to shelves in both the private stores and the NSLC.

$ wrote:The new PC leader says:

15. Will you commit to reforming the LCBO’s government monopoly? If so, please explain.

.... As Premier, I will take steps to create more choice for consumers and expand opportunities for Ontario producers, including VQA wine stores and craft beer stores....

Typical response really, isn't it? Sound like you're gonna do something big ("take steps"), without really saying anything at all. We already have wine stores (at Loblaws, Sobey's, etc.) and craft beer stores (at the breweries). He has, of course, ignored the intent of the question. Mikey taught him well.

$ wrote:The new PC leader says:

15. Will you commit to reforming the LCBO’s government monopoly? If so, please explain.

Yes. I believe we must have more choice and competition in Ontario’s wine, beer and liquor
sales. That’s why I have introduced Bill 7, the VQA Wine Stores Act, which would allow
Ontario wineries to group together to sell Ontario VQA wines in a single store as one way to
help increase competition and choice. As Premier, I will take steps to create more choice
for consumers and expand opportunities for Ontario producers, including VQA wine stores
and craft beer stores.



typical PC....keep all the gov't monopolies intact...

Don't they already have this? I don't drink much wine but isn't what he is proposing exactly what those Wine Rack stores in malls already are?

The Wine Rack represents Vincor brands only, Vineyard Estates is owned by Andrew Peller, another Winery Conglomerate (they own about a dozen brands including some Wine Kitz, and Granville Island Brewing) and I think Kittling Ridge owns some stores too. All the small wineries are still frozen out.

Kel Varnsen wrote:

$ wrote:The new PC leader says:

15. Will you commit to reforming the LCBO’s government monopoly? If so, please explain.

Yes. I believe we must have more choice and competition in Ontario’s wine, beer and liquor
sales. That’s why I have introduced Bill 7, the VQA Wine Stores Act, which would allow
Ontario wineries to group together to sell Ontario VQA wines in a single store as one way to
help increase competition and choice. As Premier, I will take steps to create more choice
for consumers and expand opportunities for Ontario producers, including VQA wine stores
and craft beer stores.



typical PC....keep all the gov't monopolies intact...

Don't they already have this? I don't drink much wine but isn't what he is proposing exactly what those Wine Rack stores in malls already are?

those wine stores that are in malls are the wine equivilent of TBS. the best wines made in this province are only availible at the producers retail store or in finer dining establishments. does that sound familiar to any other beverage?

Magnotta has a huge freestanding store here in Cambridge. They only sell wine though, as well as all the juice and equipment needed to make your own wine. I stopped in once to ask if they could get me the beer, but I was told no.

carguy wrote:Magnotta has a huge freestanding store here in Cambridge. They only sell wine though, as well as all the juice and equipment needed to make your own wine. I stopped in once to ask if they could get me the beer, but I was told no.

There is one at Yonge and Finch as well.



As far as politics go, I have to wonder how much weight one should give to a politicians leanings on the LCBO/Beer Store vs. say health care, the economy, the environment etc.

Magnotta wanted to sell beer at all their stores, but the LCBO wouldn't allow it. Even if they had multiple breweries, they could only sell what was actually brewed on-site (they could't transfer different batches/styles between them).

Yet Vincor does EXACTLY this with their wines? There were lawsuits, but nothing ever changed.

I think the LCBO may actually hate them more than Molbats (The Beer Store) hates the Brick!

There was another lawsuit regarding their icewine... supposedly the LCBO employees were pushing 'real' icewines and bad-mouthing their product.

If I drank wine, I'd definitely support the Magnotta stores. I should really direct my wife & friends there more frequently.

Derek wrote:Magnotta wanted to sell beer at all their stores, but the LCBO wouldn't allow it. Even if they had multiple breweries, they could only sell what was actually brewed on-site (they could't transfer different batches/styles between them).

Yet Vincor does EXACTLY this with their wines? There were lawsuits, but nothing ever changed.

I think the LCBO may actually hate them more than Molbats (The Beer Store) hates the Brick!

There was another lawsuit regarding their icewine... supposedly the LCBO employees were pushing 'real' icewines and bad-mouthing their product.

If I drank wine, I'd definitely support the Magnotta stores. I should really direct my wife & friends there more frequently.

Some of those Magnotta wines are pretty spotty Derek. Careful what you recommend my man!

SteelbackGuy wrote:Some of those Magnotta wines are pretty spotty Derek. Careful what you recommend my man!

Now that you're an LCBO employee, I can no longer trust you.

JerCraigs wrote:

carguy wrote:Magnotta has a huge freestanding store here in Cambridge. They only sell wine though, as well as all the juice and equipment needed to make your own wine. I stopped in once to ask if they could get me the beer, but I was told no.

There is one at Yonge and Finch as well.



As far as politics go, I have to wonder how much weight one should give to a politicians leanings on the LCBO/Beer Store vs. say health care, the economy, the environment etc.

To some Jer, it is more important to focus on alcohol distribution, than to focus on matters that are much more pressing.