Strike leads to closure of most liquor stores in Ontario

July 15, 2024 —

Since Friday, July 5, retail employees at Ontario’s public retail corporation, which has a monopoly on liquor and most wine sales, have been on strike.

The 9,000 employees of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) are members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. After months of collective bargaining between the union and the LCBO, the negotiations failed.

All liquor stores directly owned and operated by the LCBO were closed for 14 days starting July 5. On July 19, some LCBO retail stores will open for in-store shopping and will be open with limited hours three days a week (Friday, Saturday and Sunday). LCBO Agency convenience outlets, located in privately owned stores, will continue to sell liquor and wine.

On July 5, about 20 LCBO union members held a picket outside the liquor store in Hawkesbury, east of Ottawa.

OPSEU is opposing the provincial government’s decision to allow large-scale sales of wine, beer and pre-packaged mixed drinks in private stores. The union fears that this will reduce the LCBO’s revenue for the provincial coffers by approximately C$2.5 billion, leading to job losses and eventual privatization.

OPSEU is also concerned about workers’ benefits and employment status. Currently, 70% of LCBO workers are casual workers. They have no guaranteed hours, meaning most are not eligible for benefits and there are no opportunities to transition into permanent part-time or full-time positions.

Near Hawkesbury in the village of L’Orignal, there is also an LCBO Agency convenience store, next to the Quickie supermarket and MacEwen gas station. An employee said alcohol sales had already increased early on the morning of July 5, after the store opened at 7 a.m. The employee said enough products had been ordered before the strike began, which would normally last for two weeks, but there were doubts whether they would last that long.

LCBO Agency convenience store at a gas station in L’Orignal, Ontario. Photo: James Morgan

Distillery and winery outlet stores are not affected by the LCBO strike. An employee at the Dunrobin Distillery store in Vankleek Hill said sales had not increased as of July 5.

In Eastern Ontario, shoppers have the option of purchasing spirits and wine in the nearby province of Quebec from the government-owned liquor store chain Société des Alcools du Québec (SAQ). However, the SAQ is also in collective bargaining with its own employees, who are members of the Confederation of French Workers’ Union (CSN), and further negotiations are scheduled throughout July.

Brewer’s Retail – better known as The Beer Store – is not affected by the LCBO strike. However, many LCBO stores sell beer in small towns where The Beer Store does not have stores. Online sales and delivery through the LCBO continue.

On July 8, the LCBO announced a plan to offer limited online ordering to bar and restaurant operators so they could continue to get goods for customers. It also opened five stores briefly on July 10 so business owners could try to restock their inventory. The LCBO said the decision to offer online sales to bar and restaurant owners was made in response to OPSEU’s threat to demonstrate outside the stores open for limited purchases.

The conservative Canadian Taxpayers Federation has proposed that the Ontario government temporarily allow alcohol sales in grocery stores for the duration of the LCBO strike. OPSEU criticized this proposal, saying it would only allow the government to privatize alcohol sales and lose the LCBO’s revenues, which fund other public services.

On July 10, Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a searchable online map that allows consumers to find agency convenience stores, independent distilleries and wineries selling alcohol while LCBO employees are on strike and stores are closed. OPSEU criticized the map, saying it was a way to undercut the LCBO and its employees.