Beer Sales Open up to Grocery Stores

THUNDER BAY – Looking for beer? In Thunder Bay the Safeway on Arthur Street, the Real Canadian Super Store on Memorial Avenue and the Metro on Red River Road will soon be selling suds. The move comes as the Ontario Government opens up the retail sales of beer to expand the availability of the product.

The three locations are, so far the only ones in Northwestern Ontario listed as set to sell beer. The number of outlets is expected to expand. In Southern Ontario some Walmart stores are set to sell beer too.

In a statement the Ontario Government says, “The government is delivering on its promise to allow beer sales in grocery stores by announcing the first 58 locations across the province where Ontarians will be able to buy beer.”

Premier Kathleen Wynne and Minister of Finance Charles Sousa announced the 13 independent grocery stores and 45 stores owned by large grocers that are now authorized to sell beer. This is the first round of Ontario’s commitment to make it more convenient for people to buy beer. Ultimately, beer will be available at up to 450 grocery stores provincewide — roughly the same number of locations The Beer Store currently operates in Ontario. Beer in grocery stores is part of the biggest shakeup to beverage alcohol retailing in the province since prohibition was ended in 1927.

The Government says “Ontario is expanding access responsibly. The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario, which visited all 58 locations as part of the authorization process, will now monitor them to ensure that they adhere to laws on the safe retail of alcohol. These include designated sales areas and hours of sale, limitations to package sizes and alcohol content by volume, and rigorous social responsibility training for staff.”

In Northwestern Ontario there are two inspectors for the AGCO.