{"id":14219,"date":"2025-01-26T11:29:24","date_gmt":"2025-01-26T11:29:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/01\/26\/fords-lcbo-order-on-u-s-booze-wont-hurt-ontario-convenience-stores-group\/"},"modified":"2025-01-26T11:29:24","modified_gmt":"2025-01-26T11:29:24","slug":"fords-lcbo-order-on-u-s-booze-wont-hurt-ontario-convenience-stores-group","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/01\/26\/fords-lcbo-order-on-u-s-booze-wont-hurt-ontario-convenience-stores-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Ford\u2019s LCBO order on U.S. booze won\u2019t hurt Ontario convenience stores: group"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Doug Ford\u2019s recent order to the LCBO<\/a> that it should clear U.S. booze from its shelves if Donald Trump<\/a> imposes sweeping tariffs won\u2019t hurt Ontario\u2019s convenience stores, an industry group says.<\/p>\n

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The Convenience Industry Council of Canada, which represents 7,500 retailers in Ontario, told Global News in a statement that corner stores are well-equipped should the province retaliate against the U.S. president.<\/p>\n

Last year, the province liberalized the sale of alcohol in Ontario<\/a>, allowing convenience, grocery and big box stores to compete with the Beer Store and LCBO. However, when it did so, the province overhauled its wholesale and delivery network and made the LCBO the exclusive wholesaler<\/a> for the entire province.<\/p>\n

\u201cOntario\u2019s convenience stores offer a broad enough assortment, including local products, that we are confident that we can continue to meet our customers\u2019 needs and provide them with the choice and convenience they rely on us for,\u201d said Anne Kothawala, the council\u2019s president and CEO.<\/p>\n

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\u201cSince convenience stores do not sell spirits, which account for a bigger percentage of U.S. alcohol, the impact on our stores will not be as significant.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Ontario\u2019s premier said Monday that he would order the LCBO, which is one of the biggest purchasers of alcohol in the world, to clear its shelves of U.S. booze and further promote Ontario-made wines and spirits in the event Trump follows through on his threat.<\/p>\n

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Trump has threatened a 25 per cent tariff<\/a> on all Canadian and Mexican exports, stemming from his demand the two allies tighten border security. He said he would impose them through an executive order on his first day in office.<\/p>\n

Instead, he issued a broad trade memo to review trade relations, only to say late Monday that he thinks he\u2019ll impose the tariffs anyway on Feb. 1<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Ottawa and the provinces have prepared retaliatory measures if those tariffs come. Global News\u00a0reported last month<\/a>\u00a0that among those, the LCBO would be restricted from buying American products.<\/p>\n

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Gary Sands, senior vice-president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, echoed Kothawala\u2019s remarks in an email to Global News.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think it would be a huge issue for independents though. They are huge supporters of buying local and differentiating themselves from chains,\u201d Sands said.<\/p>\n