Ontario Election 2018

[Frank E]

It's got more to do with the fact that the breweries own the Beer Store, and that pricing isn't very competitive given this.  The result should be more competitive pricing, due to real competition for the LCBO and The Beer Store.

Gosh. It's almost like selling alcohol via monopoly was intended to keep prices artificially high. Almost as if, and bear with me now, in a society with public health care there was a public incentive to discourage alcohol abuse.

Yes, it was out of the goodness of their hearts, and their concern for your health, and your tax dollars, that Big Beer was charging through the nose.

 

[hockeyfan1]

More alcohol consumption, easier access than ever...there has to be a catch somewhere.  Change for the better or the worse? 

A group of researchers is sounding the alarm over the Ontario government's planned changes to alcohol policy, saying the relaxed rules will lead to more consumption that can bring an increase in crime, hospitalizations and even death.

Titled "Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation," the report finds that until the new rules were announced, Ontario had some of the most effective alcohol policies in the country when it came to reducing harm.

The whole package of changes ? some already implemented and some proposed ? all seem to be in the direction of increasing access to alcohol," Giesbrecht said in a telephone interview Friday.

"They all seem to be in the harm-enhancement direction, if you will."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/health/alcohol-policy-ontario-1.5113124

 

[mr grieves]

It's got more to do with the fact that the breweries own the Beer Store, and that pricing isn't very competitive given this.  The result should be more competitive pricing, due to real competition for the LCBO and The Beer Store.

Gosh. It's almost like selling alcohol via monopoly was intended to keep prices artificially high. Almost as if, and bear with me now, in a society with public health care there was a public incentive to discourage alcohol abuse.

Not a bad thing that there'll be a lot more buyers out there though, is it? Been over a decade since I lived in Ontario, but the range of beers and spirits available via retail was pretty bleak.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Not a bad thing that there'll be a lot more buyers out there though, is it? Been over a decade since I lived in Ontario, but the range of beers and spirits available via retail was pretty bleak.

Speaking from my own experiences (guy who likes craft beer but not to the point where it's a character trait) I think the selection has gotten a lot better in the past few years. Grocery stores and LCBOs carry a lot of local craft options, and I believe they're required to have a certain percentage of their shelves dedicated to them.

 

[Kin]

Yes, it was out of the goodness of their hearts, and their concern for your health, and your tax dollars, that Big Beer was charging through the nose.

The framework of how beer is sold in this province was determined by Government, not the big brewing companies. If you'd like evidence of this, you might find it in the news that the arrangement is changing via act of...wait for it....you'll never guess...I'm on the edge of my seat...

Provincial Government!

 

[Kin]

Not a bad thing that there'll be a lot more buyers out there though, is it? Been over a decade since I lived in Ontario, but the range of beers and spirits available via retail was pretty bleak.

I may not be the best person to ask as I'm in Toronto itself and so the variety available to me is maybe not the same as it is across the province but between their bigger stores  and their online selection, I think they have a lot of stuff available. Will you be able to find the precise vintage of Shochu that comes from your preferred prefecture? Maybe not but that's true of everywhere, more or less.

edit: And to the extent that it's a bad thing, like everything else it's a trade-off. Again, maybe some specialty shops will open up that will drastically increase what's available to people but the far bigger issue is that putting liquor sales in private hands is likely to lead to increased consumption and looser controls on who's buying.

 

[bustaheims]

It's not really for that reason, boys.

It's got more to do with the fact that the breweries own the Beer Store, and that pricing isn't very competitive given this.  The result should be more competitive pricing, due to real competition for the LCBO and The Beer Store.

Convenience stores and such aren?t going be buying in an amount significant enough to have a much influence on price - especially since they?ll mainly be stocking the more popular beers (and mostly 6 packs and singles, I imagine - having a significant amount of anything bigger would take up too much real estate in their fridges). The Beer Store - therefore, the brewers - as the largest purchasers and providers, will still basically be able to control the price.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Ok... so I understand that this might be a stupid question... but there's something I don't get in regards to the idea that beer might be cheaper if it goes to convenience stores. We know that the major breweries (Molson-Coors, Labatt, Sleeman) own The Beer Store. Almost, if not all, of the most popular beers in Canada are produced by those 3, correct? So the convenience stores and what not have to purchase the beers from those 3 breweries to re-sell, correct? What's stopping those breweries from setting their wholesale price at a point where private stores can't set their retail price low enough to undercut the prices at the Beer Store/LCBO?

 

[Kin]

Ok... so I understand that this might be a stupid question... but there's something I don't get in regards to the idea that beer might be cheaper if it goes to convenience stores. We know that the major breweries (Molson-Coors, Labatt, Sleeman) own The Beer Store. Almost, if not all, of the most popular beers in Canada are produced by those 3, correct? So the convenience stores and what not have to purchase the beers from those 3 breweries to re-sell, correct? What's stopping those breweries from setting their wholesale price at a point where private stores can't set their retail price low enough to undercut the prices at the Beer Store/LCBO?

In theory nothing, although I think there are laws against price fixing. The argument would be that someone, whether it's one of those three or someone else, would see an opportunity in the market to undercut their prices and corner the cheapest possible beer market.

Which seems more likely. If you go to the States, beers from the bigger companies aren't the cheapest beers you can find. There's always going to be someone selling rot gut and no label trash beer for next to nothing.

 

[Bill_Berg]

Ok... so I understand that this might be a stupid question... but there's something I don't get in regards to the idea that beer might be cheaper if it goes to convenience stores. We know that the major breweries (Molson-Coors, Labatt, Sleeman) own The Beer Store. Almost, if not all, of the most popular beers in Canada are produced by those 3, correct? So the convenience stores and what not have to purchase the beers from those 3 breweries to re-sell, correct? What's stopping those breweries from setting their wholesale price at a point where private stores can't set their retail price low enough to undercut the prices at the Beer Store/LCBO?

In theory nothing, although I think there are laws against price fixing. The argument would be that someone, whether it's one of those three or someone else, would see an opportunity in the market to undercut their prices and corner the cheapest possible beer market.

Which seems more likely. If you go to the States, beers from the bigger companies aren't the cheapest beers you can find. There's always going to be someone selling rot gut and no label trash beer for next to nothing.

Currently, and this may change, the LCBO requires a single price for a package of beer. You can't get a six pack of Bud at one price in one place and then a different price in another place. If it's ten bucks for a six pack of Bud, that's the only price you'll see. So whatever the cost is at your corner store, it will be the same cost at the Beer Store.

Also, if you like craft beer, you'll get less of it in convenience stores, or at least they will be more expensive. Yes the LCBO and grocery stores have craft beers, so presumably, will convenience stores, although fewer options, but you can't buy them at 24 prices, which are cheaper.

 

[hockeyfan1]

The next step may very well be privatization of the LCBO. 

Vehemently disagree with the concept because it brings in major revenue for the provincial government / province of Ontario in terms of providing some source of funding for provincial programs that benefit the greater good.

The Ford government?s social policy initiatives have been misguided ? cutting funding to municipalities that in turn affect public health, climate change, urban development, etc.  Giving developers free reign to expand (urban sprawl ) without any thought to proper planning & development is simply neglectful, irresponsible, and unfettered pandering.

All Conservatives give a damn about is the ring of the cash register, so to speak.  At least this Ford government has demonstrated that aptly in it?s erred approach.  Thank goodness that funding cuts will be frozen at least for the time being.  The voice of the people has spoken!


https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-beer-wine-convenience-corner-stores-lcbo-doug-ford-1.5137127

 

[Bender]

I don't mind having a two pronged approach. I think we should buy liquor at cheaper prices than we have currently (the LCBO pseudo price fixes alcohol it seems...) but I do agree with the tax revenue the LCBO provides.