A nice cold beer is a staple of summertime… or a end-of-week treat at your local pub on a Friday night. But when it comes to Ontario Premier Doug Ford‘s alcohol policies, craft brewers aren’t cheering.
As reported by blogTO, Ford’s decision (which went into effect on Oct. 31, 2024) to let grocery stores and convenience stores sell cocktails in cans, cider, beer, and wine isn’t the best news for craft brewers. Several brewers spoke to blogTO about this change, including Mandie Murphy, who co-founded Field Brewery. Murphy pointed out that Ontario brewers pay the most craft beer taxes in Canada. She said although 20% of shelves in these stores are supposed to feature local beer, that comes with a price. She said, “the reality is that doing that means investing in more people, trucks and equipment.” She mentioned that beer being sold in retail stores “made lower craft beer taxes critical in deciding the future of the industry.”
Blood Brothers Brewery told blogTO the “competition” of having other stores selling beer hasn’t been great for business, and that “foreign macro brewers” have seen a positive effect instead.
Some craft brewers also aren’t pleased with another alcohol policy Ford is considering. According to CTV News, after Ford said he would cut power to parts of the U.S. because of Donald Trump’s possible tariffs, Ford also said in mid-Dec. 2024 that the LCBO might not buy alcohol from the U.S. if the tariffs go into effect. Ford added, “I’d prefer not to do any of this.” Chris Thompson, who owns Whitewater Brewing Company, told CTV News that tension between the U.S./Canada over trade would “increase our costs to produce the products. Our aluminum costs are going to increase, which means a can of beer is going to increase and ultimately that hits the consumer more than anyone.”
Unlike the tariffs, on the surface, it seems like a good idea to be able to purchase wine and beer at a convenience store. That’s, well, convenient, right? Before Ford’s retail policy, Ontario residents could only buy alcohol at the LBCO or (the perfectly named) The Beer Store. As Ford said back in Nov. 2023, “We’re the only jurisdiction in the entire world that you can’t go into the retail store and buy a case of beer or a bottle of wine when you’re buying a steak for dinner or whatever you’re buying.” (Not the most eloquent turn of phrase, but he got his point across.) However, if these boozy policies make costs go up for brewers, that’s a shame.
Although I’m (sadly) gluten-free and can’t drink all these wonderful beers, I appreciate the creativity and hustle of the scene (and love all the colorful designs on the cans). Ontario beers are part of the fabric of the province’s restaurant scene, from hipster bars to cozy pubs and the breweries themselves. Brewers deserve policies that help them, not hurt them, especially from someone who has made beer part of his campaigns.
Canada has come a long way since the 1970s, when Labatt and Molson were the two most popular brands. There is so much more out there, and these brewers deserve to have their voices heard. The best thing Ontarians can do is keep supporting local craft breweries, whether buying from them directly, or ordering their beverages at bars and restaurants.
Published: Jan 3, 2025 03:19 pm