Starting today shoppers can purchase wine at select supermarkets across the province as part of the government’s latest move to modernize the sale of beer, wine and cider.
67 stores across Ontario have been given the green light to sell wine, including 47 large grocers and 20 independent shops.
Finance Minister Charles Sousa was in Toronto on Friday to make the official announcement.
“With one stop consumers can pick up wine alongside other grocery items, making life more convenient for Ontarians, making life easier because these stores are also allowed to sell beer and cider,” Sousa told the crowd.
In Ottawa there are five grocery stores across the city that will carry wine.
· Farm Boy - 2950 Bank St.
· Farm Boy - 2030 Tenth Line
· Loblaws - 1980 Baseline Rd.
· Loblaws - 200 Earl Grey Dr.
· Metro - 4510 Innes Rd.
Loblaws on Baseline will add wine to the beer and cider they have already been selling for close to one year.
“We pride ourselves on offering great food to our customers and they come in looking for great meals, and this just adds to that solution. It is a more convenience play for them,” said Derrick Pittman, the Vice President of Operations at Loblaws.
Many customers were thrilled about the opportunity to purchase wine in the grocery store, saying the move was long overdue.
But not everyone is a fan of the idea.
In a report Cancer Care Ontario warned that making alcohol more easily available can increase consumption, which could lead to higher rates of cancer due to carcinogens in alcohol.
Sousa says there will be strict regulations on the purchase of wine in the stores.
“The same requirements for safe and responsible retailing for beer and cider in the grocery stores will apply to wine – this includes limited hours of sale and rigorous training for grocery store staff.”
Rules set by the government include the sale of wine, beer and cider in designated areas in stores from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays.
The plan is to have wine in 300 stores by 2025.
