Latest news with #BeerStore
Toronto Sun
30-05-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
Few Ontario grocery stores accepting booze empties, some weigh returning licences
Published May 30, 2025 • 5 minute read Empty beer and wine bottles. Very few Ontario grocery stores that are required to accept empty alcohol containers are doing so, leaving the future of the deposit return program in question as The Beer Store closes locations across the province. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account About 70 grocery stores — ones that are more than five kilometres away from a Beer Store — have been required to take empties since last fall but only four are complying, says The Beer Store, which operates the deposit return system. On Jan. 1, 2026, all grocery stores selling beer and wine _ more than 1,000 are licensed, according to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario — will have to accept bottle returns as part of Premier Doug Ford's move to speed up the availability of alcohol. The Ministry of Finance says 13 of the grocery stores are complying and the rest of them with current obligations are 'expected to join over the coming months.' But Jan. 1 is also when The Beer Store is allowed under Ford's alcohol agreement to close an unlimited number of stores, and with so few grocery stores already participating and others threatening to hand back their licences rather than participate in the deposit return program as currently structured, the program that saw 1.6 billion containers returned last year could be in jeopardy. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Karen Wirsig, a senior program manager at Environmental Defence, said the program allows for beer bottles to be reused, ensures the effective recycling of most alcohol packaging and keeps millions of tonnes of material out of landfills. 'As the Beer Stores keep closing, that will kill the Ontario deposit return program,' she said. 'If you don't make returns convenient for people, they won't do it.' John Nock, president of the union representing The Beer Store employees, said there should be some enforcement to ensure the grocery stores get deposit return systems up and running so consumers can get their 10 or 20 cents per container. 'If they're allowed to sell alcohol … they should take returns,' he said. 'Why are (we), the public, paying a deposit to the government that we can never get back? Or we've got to drive a half an hour (to the nearest Beer Store) to get our $2 or $3 back.' Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Grocery stores have for months voiced their concerns with the program, from sanitation issues and space constraints to a sheer cost effectiveness calculation. Earlier this month associations representing both small and large grocers wrote a joint letter to the premier warning they will stop selling alcohol if the program isn't improved. 'Unless urgent changes are made to build fairer economics and to move away from a mandatory return-to-retail recycling system, our grocery members have advised that their stores will start the process of reviewing their future participation, potentially exiting the category all together,' wrote the Retail Council of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Adding insult to injury, they say, is a move by the government in its budget to increase a wholesale alcohol discount from 10 to 15 per cent for bars, restaurants and convenience stores _ who do not have to accept empties — but not grocery stores, who do. 'It's inexplicable,' said Gary Sands, senior vice-president of public policy and advocacy with the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers. 'If anything, what they should have been doing is saying, 'In light of the fact that we've dumped all the recycling on you guys, we're going to increase your allowance and we'll leave the others as it is.' Instead, it's the reverse.' It puts grocery stores at a competitive disadvantage, Sands said. '(Ford) promised us that when he rolled out the new system, there would be no winners and losers,' he said. 'He's broken that promise.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The big grocery chains, through the Retail Council of Canada, are echoing those concerns. Loblaws is testing a return-to-retail system at one location and is finding it's 'ludicrously expensive,' said Sebastian Prins, director of government relations for the retail council. 'It's tightening already tight margins,' he said. 'Our folks just want to be able to kind of compete on a level playing field.' The AGCO has started sending grocers some 'compliance letters,' Prins said, but the language is fairly soft for the time being. There are many steps the government could take to help enable grocers to offer return systems, Prins said, such as looking at removing the deposit from beer cans and leaving those to the blue box system. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Even something as simple as the government saying, 'We are going to convene major grocers and The Beer Store in a room to talk about is there a cheaper mouse trap that can be built here' — even that would be seen as forward progress,' he said. 'They've kind of got all their levers pushed to zero.' Ford's previous plan was to get beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails in convenience stores and all grocery stores by 2026, but in May of 2024 he announced that would instead happen that year. An 'early implementation agreement' with The Beer Store involves the province paying the company up to $225 million to help it keep stores open and workers employed. The province's financial accountability officer said there will also be a $215-million cost as a result of lower tax revenues as grocery, big box and convenience stores are not subject to beer, wine and spirit taxes. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. As well, the FAO said there will be $172 million in lower net income to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. While there will be a $1.1 billion increase in wholesale LCBO revenue, there will also be an approximately $812 million decline in LCBO retail revenue, a $192 million cost to give wholesale discounts to new retailers, $150 million in service rebates to brewers, $105 million in higher operating expenses, and $22 million in higher recycling fees. Under the agreement, The Beer Store has to keep at least 300 stores open up to the end of this year, but starting in 2026 there is no minimum number. Ozzie Ahmed, vice-president of retail for The Beer Store, said in a statement that the stewardship of alcohol containers is an important part of retailer responsibility. 'Annually The Beer Store processes about 1.6 billion alcohol containers, more than we sell in our own network of stores,' Ahmed wrote. 'This diverts waste from landfills, recycling facilities and ensures consumers have an easy and convenient way to get their deposit back.' Crime Sunshine Girls Sunshine Girls Toronto Raptors Toronto Maple Leafs
CTV News
22-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Two Beer Store locations in Greater Sudbury closing
Nine more Beer Store locations are closing in Ontario, including two in Greater Sudbury, following the expansion of sales into convenience and Big Box stores.
CTV News
20-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Beer Store closing Glebe location in July
The Beer Store in the Glebe at 900 Bank St. in Ottawa. (Google) The Beer Store is closing its location in the Glebe this summer, the third store set to close in Ottawa this year. The Beer Store announced Tuesday that nine more outlets will close across the province on July 20, including the location at 900 Bank Street near Holmwood Avenue. 'The Beer Store is making the difficult decision to close these locations. We will continue our focus on sustainability and recycling as we modernize operations in a changing marketplace,' Ozzie Ahmed, vice president of retail at The Beer Store, said in a statement. 'I understand this will be disappointing news to customers and employees. The Beer Store is committed to treating employees with respect and supporting them during this transition.' The other locations closing are in Ajaz, Azilda, Levack, Markham, Milton and Toronto. The Beer Store location at 2144 Carling Avenue, across the street from the Carlingwood Mall, is set to close on June 15. In February, the retailer announced its locations on North Side Road in Bells Corners and a location in Kingston was closing. The decision to close Beer Store outlets comes after Ontario expanded beer and alcohol sales to big box stores, corner stores and gas stations last year. The Beer Store employs 6,500 workers across Ontario. The United Food and Commercial Workers Union told CTV News Ottawa that the Beer Store is allowed to go down to 300 stores by the end of this year under an early implementation agreement.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ontario keeps paying Beer Store agreement as alcohol revenue falls
The Ford government has paid the privately-owned Beer Store almost two-thirds of the $225 million it promised the company to reduce the layoffs from alcohol liberalization, new figures released along with the budget show. Isaac Callan digs into the numbers and looks at how the LCBO will also be squeezed.
CTV News
16-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
What's open and closed in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent on Victoria Day?
Wondering what is open and what's closed this Victoria Day long weekend in Windsor-Essex? Here's a look at what to expect. Open: Devonshire Mall will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Victoria Day. Tecumseh Mall will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Victoria Day. Windsor Crossing Outlet Mall is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Victoria Day. Walmart is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Victoria Day. Some grocery stores are open with holiday hours. Most Beer Stores will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Victoria Day. Closed: Some grocery stores Banks Government offices LCBO locations and some Beer Store locations The City of Windsor 311 Customer Contact Centre The 311 Customer Contact Centre will be closed on Monday, May 19, 2025. It will reopen for regular hours on Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. To report municipal emergencies outside of business hours, call 519-255-6326. More information is also available on 311 Online and the Windsor 311 mobile app. 211 Windsor-Essex The 211 service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to serve residents throughout Windsor and Essex County. Garbage and Recycling Collections Residential garbage, yard waste, and recycling collection services are not delayed by the holiday. Please refer to your 2025-2026 Collection Calendar or the Recycle Coach App, or visit the Collection Schedule page. Night commercial, front end loader and weekly non-eligible source (NES) recycling collections are also not delayed. More information is available at Windsor's Waste and Recycling page or by calling 311. Public Drop-Off and Household Chemical Waste Depots. The depots located at the northeast corner of Central Avenue and North Service Road East will be closed on Monday, May 19. Parks and Recreation Community centres, customer care centres, and arenas will be closed on Monday, May 19, except for previously booked rentals or events. A free public skate will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the WFCU Centre. The Afterschool Program will not run. The indoor pools and fitness centre at the WFCU Centre and the Gino and Liz Marcus Community Complex will be closed on Monday, May 19. The indoor pool (Natatorium) at the Windsor International Aquatic and Training Centre (WIATC) Presented by WFCU Credit Union will be closed on Monday, May 19. The WIATC fitness centre will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Adventure Bay Family Water Park will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day from Saturday, May 17 to Monday, May 19. The Lakeview Park Marina office and fuel dock will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and launch ramps will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 19. Homeless and Housing Help Hub (H4) Programming at 400 Wyandotte Street East (Windsor Water World) will be open regular hours, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including Monday, May 19, 2025, to offer services for people experiencing homelessness. Call 519-253-3806 for more information. Parking Enforcement Municipal ticket payment offices will be closed Monday, May 19. Ticket payments may still be made online by visiting the E-Services tab at Windsor Public Library In recognition of Victoria Day, all Windsor Public Library Branches will be closed on Sunday, May 18 and Monday, May 19. Plan ahead and sign out any items you need in advance. The online library is available anytime at Museum Windsor The Chimczuk Museum and François Baby House locations are normally closed on Mondays and will therefore be closed on Monday, May 19, 2025. Streetcar No. 351 at the Legacy Beacon is open on Victoria Day from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Transit Windsor Transit Windsor buses are operating on the Sunday/holiday schedule on Monday, May 19, 2025, and the customer service office at 300 Chatham Street West will be closed. For a list of alternate sales outlets for Transit passes, please see our Transit Windsor: Where to Buy page. Chatham-Kent Closed: Chatham-Kent Public Library branches Chatham-Kent Health Alliance Some healthcare sites in Chatham-Kent will have alternate hours on Victoria Day, according to the Chatham-Kent Health Alliance. Some outpatient diagnostic tests will take place on May 19. If you have an appointment set, you are advised to go. The departments will be staffed to meet the needs of inpatients and emergencies. Open: Hemodialysis Care Emergency Departments in Chatham and Wallaceburg Closed: Ambulatory Care Services Outpatient Rehabilitation Services Pre-Surgical Screening Services Diabetes Education Centre The TIA and CAD Clinics Pulmonary Function Lab Outpatient Lab Services Health Records Patient Appointment offices The Chatham-Kent Mental Health and Addictions Program Outpatient Department Rapid Access to Addiction Medicine clinic Elston Pharmacy at the Chatham Site Oncology/Chemotherapy Department Business Office and Cashier's Office, but two bill changers are on site to accommodate change for coins If you have an immediate crisis, you are asked to call the crisis line at 1-866-299-7447 or visit your closest emergency department.
