Here's what you need to know about the sale of booze in Ottawa corner stores, gas stations starting Thursday
You can now buy beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink cocktails at your neighbourhood convenience store or when you stop to fill up the gas tank in Ottawa.
In what the Ontario government calls the "largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition," the province is expanding alcohol sales to 8,500 stores this year including convenience stores, gas stations and all grocery and big-box stores.
"Choice and convenience now at a store near you," Premier Doug Ford said in a social media video.
"We're levelling the playing field and giving small businesses the opportunity to grow and create good local jobs. Most importantly, we're giving you more choice and convenience."
Starting Thursday, more than 180 gas stations and convenience stores will begin serving alcoholic beverages in Ottawa.
"It's exciting times for everyone. Today starts a new retail era for both consumers and small businesses where they can now choose where they want to shop for alcohol anywhere in Ontario," Dave Bryans, president of the Convenience Store Consulting, told CTV Morning Live.
Bryans says there will be a "real learning curve" for retailers to understand what is permitted to be sold and what consumers want.
CTVNewsOttawa.ca looks at what you need to know about the sale of beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails in Ottawa gas stations and convenience stores.
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Where can you buy alcohol?
More than 4,100 gas stations and convenience stores across Ontario have received licenses to sell alcoholic beverages.
Experts say with so many stores on the list, shoppers might not find what they're looking for right away.
"I'm starting to hear there are some out of stocks in the delivery system as well. So, I mean, for a small supplier to the industry to actually supply products at that magnitude to 4,000 stores sure eats up a lot of warehouse inventory if you should have it all, or production," said Dave Bryans, former president of the Ontario Convenience Stores Association.
From Carp to Orléans, there are 188 locations in Ottawa that can sell alcohol starting on Sept. 5.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario says most of the licenses issued to date are locations that "already hold a lottery retailer, liquor sales or grocery store license."
Hours for sale
Starting Thursday, Sept. 5, retail stores licensed to sell alcohol will be permitted to sell between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m., seven days a week.
The AGCO says stores permitted to open on holidays are allowed to sell alcohol between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.
“The AGCO may place conditions on some licences that further limit the hours during which alcohol may be sold,” the AGCO says on its website.
“Selling alcohol outside approved hours could result in a penalty up to $50,000 or the suspension or revocation of your licence.”
What can I buy at convenience stores, gas stations?
The Ontario government says eligible convenience stores will be allowed to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages, such as coolers, hard seltzer and other premixed cocktails.
Rules for selling alcohol in gas stations, convenience stores
The AGCO says staff involved in the sale, delivery and taking orders for liquor sales must be 18 years of age or order. Staff must complete the AGCO Board-approved training programs before they are allowed to sell alcohol.
The government agency says all stores must "sell responsibly."
"Selling responsibly means never selling alcohol to minors or intoxicated customers," the AGCO says.
Inspectors may visit stores at any time to confirm they are following the laws, according to the AGCO.
Here is the list of the new locations in Ottawa where you can buy alcohol starting Sept. 5:
Convenience Stores
- North Bestone – Lees Avenue Suite 101, Ottawa
- Slater Street Market - 407 Laurier Ave. W. – Ottawa
- Joe's Smoke Shop and Grocery 1976 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa
- Pronto Food Mart Orléans – 3469 Innes Road, Ottawa
- Michel's Tobacco and Variety – 262 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa
- Smart Super Convenience 1755 Frobisher Lane, Ottawa
- Quickie – 1435 Caldwell Avenue, Ottawa
- Quickie Parkdale – 255 Parkdale Avenue, Ottawa
- Quickie Somerset – 287 Somerset Street East, Ottawa
- Quickie Walkley – 1780 Heron Drive, Ottawa
- Quickie Preston – 500 Preston Street, Ottawa
- Quickie Elgin – 348 Elgin Street, Ottawa
- Quickie McCarthy – 3332 McCarthy Road, Ottawa
- Quickie Poulin – 361 Poulin Avenue, Ottawa
- Quickie Bay – 435 Albert Street, Ottawa
- Quickie Gilmour – 332 Bank Street, Ottawa
- Quickie St. Laurent – 1034 Pleasant Park Road, Ottawa
- Quickie Conroy – 4 Lorry Greenberg Drive, Ottawa
- Quickie Hunt Club – 1661 Hunt Club Road, Ottawa
- Quickie Mann – 119 Mann Avenue, Ottawa
- Quickie Rideau – 490 Rideau Street, Ottawa
- Quickie Richmond – 1386 Richmond Road, Ottawa
- Quickie Bank/Grove – 1166 Bank Street, Ottawa
- Redrock Convenience & Café – 86 Forward Avenue, Ottawa
- Circle K – 210 Laurier Avenue East, Ottawa
- Circle K – 256 Richmond Road, Ottawa
- Carp Foodliner – 3744 Carp Road, Ottawa
- All U Need – 345 Dalhousie Street, Ottawa
- Ottawa South Groceteria – 431 Sunnyside Avenue, Ottawa
- Circle K – 1402 Highgate Road, Ottawa
- Circle K – 2213 Arch Street, Ottawa
- Circle K – 1023 Wellington Street West, Ottawa
- Roma Confectionary – 258 Rochester Street, Ottawa
- Circle K – 120 Osgoode Street, Ottawa
- Circle K – 1025 Merivale Road, Ottawa
- Circle K – 598 Montreal Road, Ottawa
- Dixie Dairy Convenience Store – 101 Main Street, Ottawa
- Zil Corporation – 289 Queen Mary Street, Ottawa
- Jai Maa Ambe Corporation – 1034 Lola Street, Ottawa
- Preston Food Market – 71 Preston Street, Ottawa
- Iris Food Market – 1121 Cobden Road, Ottawa
- Jacobsons Gourmet Concept – 103 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa
- Nick's Confectionery – 920 Montreal Road, Ottawa
- Circle K – 1827 Baseline Road, Ottawa
- Quickie Bell – 163 Bell Street North, Ottawa
- Circle K - 1420 Walkley Road Ottawa
- The Piggy Market – 400 Winston Avenue, Ottawa
- Papa Jack Popcorn Factory – 2184 Thurston Drive, Ottawa
- Royal Swift Convenience – 180 Lees Avenue, Ottawa
- Simpler Life Code Ltd. - 245 Bay Street, Ottawa
- Domestic Foods – 595 Gladstone Avenue, Ottawa
- Kaboora Convenience Store – 370 Bank Street, Ottawa
- Circle K – 388 Elgin Street, Ottawa
- Fresh Grocer – 40 Jolliet Avenue, Ottawa
- King Confectionary – 1224 Shillington Avenue, Ottawa
- Donna's Friendly Store – 157 Cathcart Street, Ottawa
- Circle K – 437 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa
- Quickie Leitrim – 4505 Bank Street, Gloucester
- Circle K – 2063 Meadowbrook Road, Gloucester
- Circle K – 4000 Bridle Path Drive, Gloucester
- Circle K – 4184 Spratt Road, Gloucester
- Greely Convenience Store – 1341 Meadow Drive, Greely
- Circle K – 907 Eagleson Road, Kanata
- Quickie Stonehaven – 800 Stonehaven Drive, Kanata
- Circle K – 62 Stonehaven Drive, Kanata
- Circle K – 1031 Teron Road, Kanata
- Circle K – 100 Castlefrank Road, Kanata
- Mac’s Store – 500 Hazeldean Road, Kanata
- The Helpful Neighbour Convenience Store – 4100 Kanata Avenue, Kanata
- Circle K – 44 Edgewater Street, Kanata
- Mac’s Convenience Store - 5511 Manotick Main Street, Manotick
- Our Neighbourhood Store – 1119 Meadowlands Drive E., Nepean
- OK Mart – 1508 Merivale Road Unit 17 – Nepean
- Quickie Rideaucrest – 1 Rideaucrest Drive, Nepean
- Quickie Barrhaven – 2201 Jockvale Road, Nepean
- Proxi Nepean – 1660 Merivale Road, Nepean
- Circle K – 418 Moodie Drive, Nepean
- Prince of Wales Market – 1896 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean
- Circle K – 1545 Greenbank Road, Nepean
- That Corner Store – 3812 Greenbank Road, Nepean
- A2Z Corner – 605 Longfields Drive, Nepean
- Buck or Two Express – 100 Bayshore Drive, Nepean
- Rainbow R&H - 6679 Fourth Line Road, North Gower
- Circle K – 2302 Tenth Line Road, Orléans
- Quickie Watters – 915 Watters Road, Orléans
- Circle K – 385 Tompkins Avenue, Orléans
- Circle K – 1600 Forest Valley Drive, Orléans
- Gajanand Corporation – 375 Des Epinettes Avenue, Orléans
- Circle K – 6138 Perth Street, Richmond
- Midori – 2950 Colonel Road, Sarsfield
- Circle K - 1 Hobin Street, Stittsville
- Quickie Beechwood – 64 Beechwood Avenue, Vanier
- Smoke Avenue – 217 Montreal Road, Vanier
- Circle K – 313 McArthur Avenue, Vanier
- IBJ Market – 23 Montreal Road, Vanier
- Amen Convenience Store – 345 Richelieu Avenue, Vanier
- Circle K – 120 Montrel Road, Vanier
Gas stations
- Circle K/ Esso 401 Hazeldean Rd., Ottawa
- Shell – 2498 Bank Street, Ottawa
- Shell – 1607 Carling Avenue, Ottawa
- Shell – 2232 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa
- Shell – 962 Merivale Road, Ottawa
- Shell – 2238 Carling Avenue, Ottawa
- Shell – 1440 Prince of Wales Drive, Ottawa
- Shell – 2770 Iris Street Ottawa
- Esso/Circle K – 1600 Bank Street Ottawa
- Canadian Tire Gas – 1176 Heron Road, Ottawa
- Esso/Circle K – 3869 Innes Road, Ottawa
- Esso/Circle K – 2075 Montreal Road, Ottawa
- Petro Canada – 1007 St. Laurent Boulevard, Ottawa
- Petro Canada – 4000 Riverside Drive, Ottawa
- Circle K/Esso – 1970 Walkley Road, Ottawa
- W.O. Stinson & Son Ltd – 4726 Bank Street, Ottawa
- Circle K/Esso – 2100 Hunt Club Road, Ottawa
- Esso/Circle K – 2545 Baseline Road, Ottawa
- Pioneer – 631 Industrial Avenue, Ottawa
- Ultramar – 3199 Hawthorne Road, Ottawa
- Ultramar – 3467 Hawthorne Road, Ottawa
- MacEwen Petroleum - 512 Bank Street, Ottawa
- Canadian Tire Gas – 4778 Bank Street, Ottawa
- Petro Canada - 5336 Boundary Road, Carlsbad Springs
- Shell - 2145 Carp Road, Carp
- Shell – 2653 March Road, Carp
- MacEwan Tin Cup Express – 2070 Carp Road, Carp
- Circle K/Esso – 1494 Innes Road, Gloucester
- Petro Canada – 2180 Montreal Road, Gloucester
- Petro Canada – 1960 Innes Road, Gloucester
- Petro Canada – 2630 Innes Road, Gloucester
- Petro Canada – 2536 Bank Street, Gloucester
- Petro Canada – 3201 Conroy Road, Gloucester
- Mobil/Waypoint Gloucester – 1970 Ogilvie Road, Gloucester
- MacEwen – 685 River Road, Gloucester
- Shell – 473 Terry Fox Drive – Kanata
- Shell – 720 March Road Kanata
- Circle K/Esso – 501 Terry Fox Drive, Kanata
- Canadian Tire Gas – 500 Terry Fox Drive, Kanata
- Petro Canada – 500 Eagleson Road, Kanata
- Petro Kanata – 570 Terry Fox Drive, Kanata
- Circle K/Esso – 479 March Road, Kanata
- Ultramar – 480 Hazeldean Road, Kanata
- Ultramar – 401 March Road, Kanata
- Ultramar – 1652 Roger Stevens Drive, Kars
- RKK Petroleum Inc. - 5329 Boundary Road, Navan
- Circle K / Esso - 1856 Robertson Rd. – Nepean
- Shell – 1548 Merivale Road, Nepean
- Shell – 1857 Merivale Road, Nepean
- Shell – 2950 Woodroffe Avenue, Nepean
- Shell – 3190 Prince of Wales Drive – Nepean
- Canadian Tire Gas Bar – 2201 Greenbank Road, Nepean
- Circle K/Esso – 3580 Strandherd Drive, Nepean
- Almonte Gas and Grocery Corp. 5 Little Dry Creek Pl. Nepean
- Mobil at Loblaws – 1460 Merivale Road, Nepean
- Circle K/Esso – 2162 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean
- Petro Canada – 1900 Prince of Wales Drive, Nepean
- Petro Canada – 3775 Strandherd Drive, Nepean
- Petro Canada – 3766 Fallowfield Road, Nepean
- Circle K/Esso – 1545 Woodroffe Avenue, Nepean
- Esso/Circle K – 1584 Merivale Road, Nepean
- Ralph & Sons Diner/MacEwen Petroleum – 3420 Carling Avenue, Nepean
- Petro Canada – 1431 Woodroffe Avenue, Nepean
- Petro Canada - 3320 Fallowfield Road, Nepean
- Shell – 2975 St. Joseph Blvd., Orléans
- Shell – 1993 Tenth Line Road, Orléans
- Mobil at Superstore – 4270 Innes Road, Orléans
- Esso/Waypoint Taylor Creek – 1270 Trim Road, Orléans
- Circle K/Esso – 1985 Trim Road, Orléans
- Circle K/Esso – 1980 St. Joseph Boulevard, Orléans
- Petro Canada – 4358 Innes Road, Orléans
- Esso Waypoint Mer Bleue – 4042 Innes Road, Orléans
- Canadian Tire Gas – 1775 Tenth Line Road, Orléans
- Petro Canada – 1988 St. Joseph Boulevard, Orléans
- MacEwen Richmond – 5925 Perth Street, Richmond
- Mobil/Waypoint Richmond- 5913 Perth Street, Richmond
- Esso Waypoint - 5899 Hazeldean Road, Stittsville
- Petro Canada – 6250 Hazeldean Road, Stittsville
- Petro Canada – 6061 Hazeldean Road, Stittsville
- Shell – 5762 Hazeldean Road, Stittsville
- Ultramar – 5943 Hazeldean Road, Stittsville
- Ultramar – 225 Huntmar Drive, Stittsville
- Shell – 20 Beechwood Avenue, Vanier
- Shell – 1 Montreal Road Vanier
- Circle K/Esso – 395 Montreal Road, Vanier
- Ultra Mar - 992 Burton Road, Vars
- A&M Gas Mart – 5546 Albion Road, Gloucester
- MacEwen Dunrobin – 1749 Dunrobin Road, Kanata
- MacEwen St. Laurent – 1515 St. Laurent Blvd, Ottawa
- MacEwen – 5026 Bank Street, Gloucester
Alcohol in grocery stores and big-box grocery stores
The Ontario government says starting Oct. 31, all licensed grocery and big-box grocery stores, including newly licensed big box stores, will be able to sell the following:
- Beer
- Cider
- Wine
- Ready-to-drink beverages
- Large pack sizes
The newly licensed grocery stores permitted to start alcohol on Oct. 31 includes Costco locations in Kanata, Gloucester and Nepean.
With files from CP24's Codi Wilson and CTV News Ottawa's Katie Griffin and Dave Charbonneau
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