Province to expand sales of beer, wine and cider in 2026

DAN CEARNS The Standard

DURHAM/KAWARTHA LAKES: The Ontario government is looking to allow sales of beer, wine and cider in more stores across the province.

On Thursday, December 14th, Premier Doug Ford and Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy announced, by January 2026, beer, wine and cider will be available to be sold in convenience stores, grocery stores and big box stores.

However, vodka, gin and whisky will continue to be sold, exclusively, at the LCBO.

As part of this announcement, the Master Framework Agreement, the government had with The Beer Store, will be allowed to expire at the end of 2025.

“In all, we’ve expanded the sale of beverage alcohol to hundreds of new points of sale, but the Master Framework Agreement, signed by the previous government in 2015, limited us on how far we could expand the sale of alcohol in Ontario,” Minister Bethlenfalvy said.

Premier Ford called this announcement “a new chapter in Ontario.”

“This expanded marketplace will give people more choice, more convenience and more time,” the Premier said, and noted this change will put the province “in line with Quebec and other provinces, and pretty well everywhere else in the world.”

The Ontario government also plans to remove restrictions on pack sizes.

“This new open marketplace is going to create new opportunities for local breweries, wineries and retailers. It’s going to support local jobs, and most importantly, it’s going to give people more choice and convenience,” Premier Ford stated.

Minister Bethlenfalvy described this announcement as “a big win,” and “a good day for Ontarians.”

An Ontario government press release described this change as, the “largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition almost 100 years ago.”