Ontario’s budget watchdog estimates that the government’s decision to speed up the rollout of alcohol sales in corner stores will cost the province more than $600 million.
That’s nearly three times the amount the Progressive Conservative government said it would cost to accelerate the timeline.
The Financial Accountability Officer says in a report today that the expansion of beer, wine and coolers to convenience stores, big box stores and more grocery stores will cost $1.4 billion through to 2030, and $612 million of that is due to the sped-up timing.
Get breaking National news
Premier Doug Ford’s previous plan was to expand sales of those alcoholic offerings by 2026, but in May he announced that would instead happen in 2024.
The province said an “early implementation agreement” with The Beer Store involves Ontario paying the company up to $225 million to help it keep stores open and workers employed.
That announcement first sparked speculation of an early election call — which Ford has now confirmed is happening Wednesday — when the premier was asked if he was trying to get booze in corner stores before an election and he wouldn’t commit to sticking to the June 2026 fixed date.
- U.S. trade deal possible but ‘tariffs are real’ before then: Ontario envoy
- Trump says Canada is a bad trade partner. Are his tariff threats justified?
- Ex-UN official from Montreal nabbed by FBI for alleged role selling Chinese weapons to Libya
- Canada must take ‘responsibility’ for its sovereignty, defence chief says
