"We’re not in a paternalistic society. Why should you be told if and when and where to buy a bottle of wine or a case of beer?"—David Peterson, campaign stop in Beamsville, April 1985.
This week’s announcement by the Ford government that alcohol sales will be allowed in convenience stores and all grocery stores by 2026 is the latest scheme floated to expand the availability of booze in Ontario and, given the history of such plans, may not be the last. One of the first major pushes to bring beer and wine to corner stores during the mid-1980s demonstrated that many Ontarians were either concerned or indifferent about the idea.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s the Progressive Conservative government under premier William Davis contemplated expanding liquor sales, but decided it was too radical a step for some people to handle. Public polling showed middling support, while opposition to selling in corner stores arose from producers, large grocery chains, and anti-alcohol groups.
The idea gained traction in early 1985 after the three major brewers who owned Brewers Retail — Carling O’Keefe, Labatt, and Molson — locked out their employees for two-and-a-half weeks, disrupting the flow of beer. At the same time, a provincial election campaign was ramping up. While visiting Brick Brewery in Kitchener, Liberal leader David Peterson mused that "we should be selling this stuff in corner stores."
A campaign issue was born, one that would demonstrate that the Liberals were a party of change after over four decades of Tory rule.
Peterson argued that booze was not available in grocery stores "because that would upset the cozy relationship between the government and the breweries who monopolize the beer industry." He also believed the NDP resisted the idea "because that would upset the big union leaders who control the NDP."
As for the NDP, leader Bob Rae did not see corner store booze as a priority, nor did he sense much public demand. He was more concerned with the power of the big three breweries, believing they needed to open their books to justify recent price increases. The PCs found themselves in a tough spot in criticizing ideas that they had already contemplated, while their continued support of the existing alcohol sales systems was increasingly viewed as a vulnerability.
The issue was viewed as one of the factors that led to the Liberals’ success in the 1985 election. As Globe and Mail columnist Orland French observed, the concept was "accepted by ethnic voters, who are used to it in the Old Country, by Yuppies, who see nothing wrong with buying wine at the corner store, and by industrial shift workers who resent being forced to make special trips to the beer store at inconvenient hours."
When the Liberals assumed power via an accord with the NDP, the question was: How soon would legislation be created?
David Peterson sipping wine at a winery on a campaign stop in Beamsville. (Ottawa Citizen, April 16, 1985)
People quickly offered suggestions on how to enact wider alcohol sales. In Sault Ste. Marie, the owners of the Beaver Hotel launched a petition in May 1985 asking the government to allow beer sales in bars and hotels — but not corner stores. An employee walked the downtown streets while wearing a sandwich board to gather signatures. Management felt that this option would remove the risk of minors buying beer since they weren’t allowed into bars.
To protect itself, Brewers Retail launched a province-wide campaign to educate the public about its function, portray the drawbacks of wider availability of alcohol, and make the case for its continued existence. Brewers Warehousing Company (the parent of Brewers Retail) president Richard Davidson warned beer prices might increase up to $3/case if corner store sales were allowed, and that Brewers Retail locations outside urban areas might go out of business. He also predicted that small store owners might not be able to keep their beer supply fresh or monitor sales to minors.
"Think of the children" guided much of the opposition, as did concerns about increased drunk driving, more store robberies, and job losses in existing beer and liquor stores. Supporters argued fewer drunks would be on the road if sales locations were more convenient and walkable, and that increased access would diminish the mystique around alcohol due to its limited availability.
Across the province, municipal councils debated the effects of corner store beer, with many voting against permitting sales if legalized. Following heated debates at its August 1985 annual meeting in Ottawa, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario asked the government to drop the idea. “The vote by the association,” the Ottawa Citizen observed, "sounds suspiciously like an echo of the old Ontario prejudice that any progress toward making drinking pleasant and civilized will make sodden wrecks of us all."
Proponents pointed out that the sky had not fallen in Quebec since the introduction of wine sales at depanneurs in 1977. A Montreal police spokesperson told the Toronto Star that there had been few complaints, especially where minors were concerned, pointing out severe penalties such as loss of license for stores caught selling booze to 12-year-olds. Ontario attorney-general Ian Scott pointed to studies which showed that contrary to the claims of opponents, impaired driving cases declined in Quebec.
Editorial cartoon, Windsor Star, October 17, 1986
Peterson urged producers, especially in the wine industry, to lobby their MPPs as it grew clearer that the other parties wouldn’t support any legislation. "It's a political decision. If you want it, you have to assist us," Peterson told an industry group. "Some people say we already have a good distribution system. Others say we shouldn't encourage the sale of demon wine. I believe Ontario has come of age. People will welcome the convenience."
The PCs established a six-person taskforce headed by former minister of consumer and commercial relations Bob Runciman to tour the province that fall for consultations. Runciman had previously supported wider sales in the legislature, noting in May 1981 that independent operators already handled fish, game, and motor vehicle licenses, and that small stores could use a sales boost from alcohol. But now he believed the media was too interested in the positives and not the drawbacks. At the first hearing in Ottawa, the Association of Canadian Distillers warned that lower foot traffic at LCBO stores could cost the province $90 million in lost tax revenue, while the chairman of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said it would increase business for small grocers and fight the growing domination of the major supermarket chains. Party polling showed that out of 38 actions requiring government action, corner store booze sales ranked next to last, ahead of building a domed stadium in Toronto. They concluded that a better solution was to modernize existing retail outlets by offering more self-service (most Brewers Retail locations lacked this option), longer hours, more attractive stores, and a wider inventory
As time went on, opposition grew. The Ontario Hotel and Motel Association worried about liability risks over customer behaviour. Chain and independent grocery operators fought over who deserved access to alcohol. There were worries over whether minors could continue to be employed by corner stores. A petition approved by Anglican officials asked for a delay until the social consequences were determined. Temperance advocates led by veteran crusader William Temple dropped to their knees to pray at minister of consumer and commercial relations Monte Kwinter’s office. In December 1985, the Committee of Concern brought together officials from the Ontario Medical Association and labour unions to oppose the move on the grounds it would increase drinking and driving. They found it confusing that the government would promote wider access to alcohol while stiffening penalties for drunk driving. Above all, public polling showed Ontarians were not wildly enthusiastic.
For months, Kwinter promised legislation was coming, but it was pushed aside in favour of other priorities. A rough plan finally emerged in May 1986, inspired by a trip Kwinter made to the state of Washington, where sales restrictions had recently loosened. Under the proposal, corner stores and other off-premise outlets would require a license. Bars, hotels, and taverns could only sell beer to take home and only in 6- or 12-packs. Corner stores would be limited to beer and wine produced in Ontario. Foreign brands and larger quantities would be restricted to Brewers Retail, while liquor and foreign wine remained with the LCBO.
Most controversially, municipalities would be offered a veto over corner store alcohol, which, given the opposition that had been growing among local politicians, would probably mean few areas would vote in favour. Many mayors called it a cop-out and a case of passing the buck. "If it were prepared to let go of its dark and archaic assumption," a Hamilton Spectator editorial observed, "Ontario might find people who are treated as responsible grown-ups will behave as responsible grown-ups."
Jenny's convenience store at Parliament and Gerrard Streets, Toronto, 1982. (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 620, Item 643)
LCBO chairman Douglas Drinkwalter was not thrilled. He warned that enforcing new rules at corner stores would require hiring 200 liquor inspectors and cost $3 million per year. He believed it was a “horrendous project.” Over at Brewers Retail, Davidson felt his organization was still the most effective one to handle beer sales and bottle returns — but was open to allowing bars to sell beer or wine as they already had age limits, liability insurance, and fridge capacity.
Over the summer, the AMO rejected it again. At its August conference, Rae said the issue was “a non-starter” that would only lead to job losses and more alcohol consumption. He noted that when Finland passed similar legislation, drinking went up by 50 percent. AMO president and Kingston mayor John Gerretsen worried that if there was a patchwork of areas that did or didn’t agree to allowed wider sales, 'some people might drive to other liberal municipalities to get a six-pack of beer and this could present a danger on the highway.'
On the other hand, some municipal officials, like Pittsburgh Township reeve Cameron English, believed it was a great idea and would help tourism. 'Tourists from the U.S. that come to our area are just appalled that we don’t have that service," he told the Kingston Whig-Standard. "They’d give anything for a bottle of wine for supper." He was concerned about the increased risk of store break-ins.
A bill was finally introduced to the legislature on October 16, 1986. Further details included: Allowing sales of Canadian beer, cider, wine, and wine coolers from 8 a.m. to midnight; only companies or individuals who own three or fewer stores, or those who operated franchised corner stores could sell alcohol; at least 51 percent of store sales had to be non-taxable food items; no one under 18 could sell alcohol; prices could not be lower than Brewers Retail or the LCBO, but could be as high as the stores wanted; Sunday sales would depend on future legal rulings about Sunday shopping in general.
The legislation didn’t specify how alcohol would be distributed or empties would be picked up, or the penalties for selling to minors. Kwinter admitted that the province might have to back down on selling only domestic products due to complaints from American wineries that this violated international trade agreements.
Rae called it "a turkey that won’t fly." PC leader Larry Grossman felt it was a waste of time designed solely to fulfill an election promise. Runciman, who called the bill "anti-family," charged that the government introduced the bill as a stunt, knowing full well it was heading for defeat. Even Peterson admitted it was doomed. "If the opposition parties cannot be dragged into the modern age, there’s nothing I can do about that," the premier observed. "I think basically they are opposed to everything we’re in favour of."
The Tories nearly demanded public hearings before the bill went to second reading, even issuing a statement from Runciman declaring that "we’re not about to let them get away with perpetrating this flim-flammery on the voters of Ontario." The idea was overruled by PC house leader Mike Harris, and the caucus decided that would be a waste of time given the legislation was already doomed.
The bill was defeated on October 29 by a 53-28 vote. "One can only conclude that much of the rest of this continent is doomed to suffer social breakdown because they do not have the benefit of living under Ontario’s enlightened liquor laws," Kwinter said mockingly to the opposition. Many MPPs skipped the vote, including 21 Liberals and 18 PCs. Among the missing was Peterson, who refused to say if the issue would be revived for the next election campaign.
It wasn’t.
As the 1987 election campaign got underway, Peterson noted that while corner store alcohol sales had attracted a lot of attention two years, it was firmly in the past. "We have no plans to introduce that," he told the press in August 1987. "There’s a lot more important things to do." Apart from periodic ponderings of the idea, further expansion of sales did not happen until beer and wine were allowed in some grocery stores in 2015.
Perhaps the best zinger was provided by an Ottawa Citizen editorial after the bill’s death ended, for the moment, the province’s "flirtation" with reforming liquor laws. "Truth to tell, it wasn’t much of a flirtation. If Casanova had shown as much enthusiasm for women as the government did for genuine reform, he would have died a virgin."
Sources: the December 17, 1985 edition of the Brantford Expositor; the April 27, 1985, April 30, 1985, October 16, 1985, November 14, 1985, October 25, 1986, October 30, 1986, October 31, 1986, and August 13, 1987 editions of the Globe and Mail; the March 30, 1985, April 16, 1985, April 18, 1985, and May 20, 1986 editions of the Hamilton Spectator; the August 28, 1986 and October 17, 1986 editions of the Kingston Whig-Standard; the August 13, 1985 and October 17, 1986 editions of the Kitchener-Waterloo Record; the June 12, 1985, September 4, 1985, October 8. 1985, October 10, 1985, December 10, 1985, June 30, 1986, July 3, 1986, October 17, 1986, October 23, 1986, and November 1, 1986 editions of the Ottawa Citizen; the May 29, 1985 edition of the Sault Star; the August 12, 1985, August 28, 1985, September 21, 1985, January 22, 1986, April 26, 1986, May 15, 1986, June 3, 1986, October 17, 1986 editions of the Toronto Star; and the October 31, 1986 edition of the Windsor Star.
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