LCBO strike: Ontario restaurants have trouble getting alcohol

When Larry McCabe learned of an impending strike by liquor retailers in the province, he simply purchased a few extra bottles for his two restaurants, believing he would find other ways to maintain the alcohol supply.

But nearly two weeks later, the Stratford, Ontario, restaurant owner said he was struggling to serve customers. His establishments had already run out of house wine and would run out of key cocktail ingredients by the end of the week, he said.

McCabe said he is currently “in a state of limbo” while he tries to obtain alcohol from other sources.

“It’s a very frustrating situation we’re getting into,” he said.

About 10,000 workers at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario walked off the job on July 5 after negotiations broke down, but the union representing them said they would return to the bargaining table on Wednesday.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has said the province’s plans to expand alcohol sales and sell ready-to-drink cocktails outside LCBO stores are the main point of contention.

McCabe, who is also a member of Stratford City Council, said the LCBO strike puts additional strain on the restaurant industry, which has experienced major disruptions in recent years and is still struggling to adapt to the pandemic.

He is not the only one who struggles to meet customer demand during peak summer season.

Olivia Harris, manager of the Black Jack Bar and Grill in Whitby, Ontario, said certain types of alcohol are “virtually impossible” at this time.

She said she can get beer and wine from sources other than the LCBO, but not spirits such as spiced rum and Jägermeister.

“They are very understanding,” she says of her customers, “but it is still annoying for us that we cannot serve our guests what they want to buy.”

Industry association Restaurants Canada said restaurants across Ontario were struggling to obtain alcohol due to the LCBO strike.

CEO Kelly Higginson said more than 14,000 restaurants and bars in Ontario are licensed to serve alcohol, “and every single one of them will be affected in some way.”

“It’s definitely a big challenge,” she said. “And I can’t underestimate the impact this will have if it goes on for too long.”

Higginson said her organization had discussions with the LCBO over the weekend and the liquor authority had pledged to prioritize supplying restaurants.

“They have made some changes in their plans to reallocate some resources specifically to our industry,” she said, adding that the LCBO’s online portal was slow at first but is now working better at processing restaurant orders.

The LCBO announced on Sunday that it had abandoned plans to open some branches for brick-and-mortar business during the strike, saying it had been successful in serving customers online and would instead use its resources to “continue to strengthen support for bars, restaurants and other businesses.”

Higginson said a prolonged strike would be “not good for either side” and Restaurants Canada is confident an agreement can be reached very soon.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has ruled out reversing the expansion of ready-to-drink cocktail sales, but OPSEU fears the move could put workers’ jobs at risk.

In the midst of the labor dispute, the Ford government released an interactive online map showing consumers where else they can buy alcohol during the strike and accelerated the timeline for the introduction of pre-mixed cocktails in grocery stores.

McCabe, the Stratford restaurant owner, expressed concern that if the strike continued, his drinks menus would become more difficult to maintain and eventually “irrelevant.”

“I think that’s where we’ll get to after this weekend,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 17, 2024.