Lcbo goes on strike over selling in retail. Locking customers out of getting liquor for two weeks. Making the best case to privatize.

This strike is showing just how useless this union is

There's no reason for this outdated model LCBO any longer. Shut it down !

BS.... hate they use school as a tool for their raises.

Close the LCBO. It is 1950's thinking. Why drive 20 miles to get a bottle of whiskey, when you could walk down to the corner store. Save the planet.

Get rid of the LCBO

Shut the LCBO down and privatize alcohol.

shutdown the LCBO

Alcohol distribution should be privatized like everywhere else in the world. This monopoly is a disservice to the public.

SK had a gov't owned LCBO then let the private sector compete ... guess what booze is cheaper in SK and the gov't run liquor authority was shutdown last year .... Say good bye to the LCBO folks ... just a matter of time!

Useless unions

After growing up in Ontario and moving to Alberta 19 years ago, the difference between the two systems is like night and day. I never realized how restricted the Ontario run system was.

It's almost like government run services are horribly wasteful...

But who's going to ask me to donate to Pride activities when I'm at checkout? 🏳️‍🌈

Ontario will make more revenue if they made it private and have more money in their coffers. It is not complicated but politicians always make things this way on purpose. Instead of getting rid of waste they always add to it.

Shut the LCBO down. Pass the legislation and get on with it, Doug Ford. Other retailers are willing and capable of taking on liquor sales as they already do it in other jurisdictions.

Countries like Japan, Germany and Italy have vending machines that sell alcohol, the union wants to status quo for the LCBO.

People fail to realize if alcohol sales were privatized the government would save tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars in union wages and on what they pay to lease those huge LCBO stores.

We need this Craziness and all these Crazy lies to end.

How long’s it been since we went private in Alberta? 25, 30 years, wow, good times.

Where's all the enrichment supposed to shoplift their liquor from now?!

The system works good in Alberta and is a model that Ontario should follow.

Since private retailers would sell instead of LCBO, there's no high workforce cost, nor management and marketing. Therefore more revenue comes in for the benefit of Ontarians.

LCBO is not needed anymore. Close the monopoly. Just like milk and cheese and telecommunications

totally agree, as someone who moved from Alberta to Ontario, it's absolutely ridiculous that Ontario alcohol is still governed from the government.....

No more monopolies. Defund the LCBO.

Alcohols should be privatize in Ontario. Should be available in Walmart's, Costco and many food stores. Ford should lessens from Reagan action in 1981 with the Air Traffic Controller strike

Anyone who has travelled outside of Ontario will know, whether they are in Ireland, England or South Carolina Alcohol is both cheaper and there is a greater abundance of choice either in Liquor Stores or in big Box Stores and Supermarkets, the L.C.B.O. and the terrible Union that is O.P.S.E.U. are about to be schooled on reality.

Saw this on "Clyde Do Something" this morning: LCBO price for a 750ml bottle of Canadian Club whiskey is $32.15. The price for the same bottle in one Calgary Alta. liquor store is $21.99 #trudeaufortreason

LCBO and SAQ here in Quebec are some of the biggest alcohol purchasers in the world, and can negotiate better deals from it's international suppliers, think COSCO big, yet they have the some of the highest prices for consumers because of their monopolistic nature. Their margins are way bigger than any privately own liquor shop yet they keep going on strike. That money isn't going into the educational system or any other system but to government employees who believe they deserve 25$/hour to be a cashier, managers at 150k a year and government appointed executives making over half a million.

Close LCBO Doug were waiting…lets go 😀

The LCBO is government sponsored racketeering….

Went too N.S. last year was amazed at the availibility of alcohol was IMPRESIVE!! I LIKE IT I WANT IT IN DRY ONTARIO

Whether people purchase their liquor from a government run store or a privately run store, the government is still going to collect the taxes. No money will be lost.

Our healthcare sucks. Our education system sucks. What the hell are they talking about. Government shouldn’t be involved in anything. If the government is involved you know right there it will fail.

I dont support the strike at all.

If the province gets off its ass and permits a couple of mines in Northern Ontario, you'll get that money back in spades. Get busy, bureaucrats.

They have had their day, let's modernize. Get OPSEU out the way.

**THANK YOU FORD !!!! **....STOP THIS LCBO CURRUPTION....PLEASE GET THINGS PRIVATE ....ASAP ( WE HAVE CLOWNS ON )

If the government runs it then the employees are over-paid, it's inefficient and not worth the cost to taxpayers. If private citizens can open a weed shop then they should also be allowed to open a liquor store. Healthy competition is good and will keep prices in check. I don't drink or do any drugs but I am sick of government waste.

All Unions should be forced back to what they are supposed to do. Protect the Workers. NOT playing political and word salad games. They have gotten Too Big and Too Powerful to be let loose. And this coming from a Union Man.

If it going to hurt schools and hospital revenue than why the hell are they on strike? Get back to work and get rid of your dam union and put the money in your pocket.

I work at a liquor store here in Alberta. :) If you need a tipple, come visit out here this summer. Last summer, Manitoba's stores went on strike, & I sold loads of liquor to travelling Manitobans.

It was great walking into the Costco liquor store in Calgary last week. Fantastic service, selection and prices

yea, if LCBO is so important to schools and healthcare, maybe they should be a hero and take a paycut so there's more money for schools and healthcare. only in canada can a crown corporation have a monopoly on alcohol. everywhere else in the world has alcohol at local corner store.

Ha they used kids and grandparents as the clinch pin for the jab. Now they’re trying for alcohol… if people don’t see their humanity is being manipulated… we’re in more trouble than I thought.

There is no way a cashier should make more than a dry waller. I am going to boycott LCBO for forever

1.25% of provincial revenue? Think they could cut the tax easily enough. Looking at $12 canadian club abroad to our $45 is ludicrous

They're just scared of actually having to compete

Ontario does not need the LCBO Why do we need somebody in Ontario to control? I think Alberta and other provinces are doing just fine without a control board

Hey guess what, Alberta privatized alcohol sales some 30 years ago. Those taxes are still rolling into the provincial coffers!! We still have schools,hospitals other public facilities available in Alberta

Go private ,let merchants buy and sell with freedom. We pay three times the price compared to USA and 5 times compared to Italy for wine ,beer and brandy/vodka etc .SCRAP IT, GO PRIVATE!

Liquor costs pennies a bottle, why are we gullible enough to pay so much more?

Interested to see the stats if you consider eliminating The Beer Store monopoly and adding those revenues to the coffers. Ontario needs to take charge of its immigration as well, way to many immigrants sucking the system dry.

Screw alcohol. Hopefully this gets people in better shape and less drunk driving accidents.

You know this union has such a weak argument, they throw out there about the premier’s handling of the science centre, teachers, health care, etc, and just can’t keep it LCBO specific. Now throwing out BS like that is enough for me. They guys need to go

We're holding the line. Long and strong, whatever it takes to get the language we need for job protection.

Great investigative reporting Lilly, this is what is needed. Facts and data. Not fairytales and pixie dust

Stop The Liquor Monopoly!

we have marijuana retail stores on almost every corner why the uproar about alcohol get a life OPSEU

Been alcohol free for 5 yrs,leave them on strike go private

You forgot to mention that if he didn't break the contract it wouldn't cost over 600 million of taxpayers $

Intelligent, succinct, and responsible. Thank you Mr. Lilley.

No government entities in Canada should be involved in retail sales. That belongs in the private sector only. The savings to taxpayers in removing the costs associated with the LCBO would be enormous and yet, the excise taxes could still be funnelled into the government coffers. Cheaper, more accessible liquor for consumers, a revenue stream for businesses and taxes for the government, a win for everyone.

I remember the grey shelving and a slip of paper with your order in pencil ..close them all ..corner store all the way!

You can’t sort through the lies to get to the truth because it’s all lies

Thanks for posting! ❤

Liquor store workers in Alberta work for minimum wage without benefits. Once upon a time ALCB workers had a living wage with pension and benefits. Full time jobs.

I've lived in both ON and AB. I would love to support the LCBO and the branch that I used to frequent in Rosedale is gorgeous (converted train station). Most liquor stores in AB are not beautiful shops (I'm partial to the Costco liquor store) but they offer dirt-cheap booze. My guess is that most workers at AB liquor stores are making minimum wage ($15 hourly) or just above. And, to be fair, service is not spectacular. LCBO workers are getting paid around $28 hourly and, to an extent, the workers are much more knowledgeable. The question is: should the government be doing retail? I have to agree with Lilley that the $2.5B for education, etc is a total red herring. It seems pretty clear that more $$ would go into government coffers under the AB model. Voters simply need to accept they are subsidizing retail LCBO workers. Personally, I support unions and I support basic living wages. AB liquor workers are likely barely making ends meet. But let's just be honest.

I mean it could also just mean that people in Alberta drink more... which is probably true.

I live in Alberta and frequently visit Ontario. Alberta liquor stores privately run have more selection and better prices, and one stop shopping. Don't get me started on the ridiculous Brewers Retail. Alberta government taxes collected from retailers, but the savings come from private sector retailers NOT government run inefficiencies!!!

Government and Crown Corp employees should not have right to strike….they are well-paid, extremely well pensioned, have better benefits and superior job security than any other workers.

People who should know in the media! You are a funny guy.

Step one. Start selling beer in convenience/grocers Step two. Sell premade drinks in convenience/grocers Step three. Sell spirits. Questions. 1. How much is Lcbo billing these grocers/convenience stores every month? 2. How much will these stores dedicate to smaller unknown brands? 3. Whats the competitive part Ford talks about? Is there a price difference at lcbo, grocer and convience store? 4. Whats the difference to the makers of booze? Well the large ones( that will survive) said competition? 5. What happens to the employees when sales are down at the LCBO because booze was bought when getting groceries and I am not an alcoholic that needs 24hr booze at every corner convenience store. 6. How is ONTARIO CANADA CITIZENS making money outside of taxes? The money that helps to go to social benefits and medical? No Ford isnt privatizing. Hes for the people.

Thanks for this information. Very helpful.

Alberta must have more drunks.

Privatized all.

Once again Brian you made a commentary based on facts,stats and the truth.Hard for someone to argue against stupid ridiculous comments when the facts show otherwise.

In northern ontario, we have to drive 25 miles to get to a beerstore but as the LCBO doesn't do deposit returns recycling, you have to go to deposit recycle anyway. There are few beerstores but a LCBO in almost every town.

LCBO is just 1 more reason I'm glad I moved to Alberta!!

I’ve travelled across Canada for work, and what I noticed was, almost everywhere else, outside of Ontario, alcohol is generally more expensive. I’m okay with LCBO.

Boo Hoo they might lose their monopoly.

If you credit the LCBO for contributions to health care, you also need to debit them for the health and social costs of alcoholism.

Terrific job, I was thinking that myself prior. I suspected it would be more cost effective.

I don't think the new regulations will make people buy less beer and coolers when available in stores, so doesn't that mean the revenue will still come in, just different sources? I haven't looked that close, but it appears to me LCBO will do just fine with a continuing monopoly on spirits. All this talk of comparing Ontario to Alberta, but don't these changes bring us more in line with Quebec alcohol distribution? How has there alcohol tax revenues faired with SAQ and private retailers both getting a piece of the pie?

The majority of LCBO's profits are from the sky high taxes we pay for alcohol. I bet hardly any of that money goes where they are saying it goes. Doug Ford came out and said, Ontario will never sell alcohol or spirits in corner stores. After I heard that I said to myself, you wanna bet, criminal?

Do the same thing in BC, those employees are totally overpaid, private will reduce prices and better service

Well done! I'd prefer a system like Alberta's. The choice and selection is improved and the prices to the consumer a lower. Now that you've explained the relative contribution to the provinces, it's a no-brainer.

Ontario could always have higher income taxes like Alberta to make up the lost difference

Boycott LCBO

Privatize liquor stores but don’t just board up the existing locations, sell them off as licensed private liquor stores this way we won’t be stuck having to pay off empty boarded up stores.

What we really need is free-trade between provinces. It is still illegal to buy a case of beer from Quebec and drive it into Ontario! Pure insanity.

The Government would Double the sales and make more Money getting out of the Booze Business! Over Paid Stock Boys and Cashiers on government payroll is Ridiculous. Not to meantion the Over Paid Management positions of 3.5 Million a Year!! Close LCBO and Beer Stores!

Simple mathematics. If one province charges a 10% booze tax, but is privatized, then the entire 10% booze tax goes back to provincial coffers. If you then have another province that also has a 10% booze tax, but owns and operates multiple stores with employees that have to be paid, and execs that get their bonuses, then a portion of that 10% booze tax goes to pay for the operating costs to run those stores and pay the employees, and therefore not as much goes back into provincial coffers. Not rocket science, just simple math

I don’t drink so won’t miss them on my end

Goodbye LCBO,.. you won't be missed.

The LCBO was created in 1927 with the end of prohibition, which had been introduced in the province in 1916. The Liquor Control Act, 1927 authorized the LCBO to "control the sale, transportation and delivery" of alcoholic beverages in Ontario. It's time to modernize this antiquated institution and put more money into health and education!

During the days of Ralph Klein, many things were privatized. It was a HUGE benefit to the citizens. Thanks to privatization, Alberta prospered and became debt free. Other provinces could stand to benefit from these policies!

ontario, where they treat us like children

That doesn’t take into account what the cost of alcohol is to society. It might cost more than the revenue brings in.