Ontario liquor store workers have gone on strike to convince Ontarians to oppose the Ford government's limited privatization of alcohol sales. But shutting down their monopoly and threatening us with a "dry summer" may have the opposite effect.
LCBO Workers Strike Against Privatization | X:
July 6, 2024 - "In Ontario, LCBO {Liquor Control Board of Ontario] workers are on strike for the first time in the corporation's 97-year history, protesting against the government's plan to open up the alcohol market to private interests. The strike is seen as a fight to protect public services and jobs, with the LCBO generating $2.5 billion in profits annually, which are used to fund healthcare, education, and public services. Critics argue that the government's plan to privatize alcohol sales will lead to a loss of revenue for the province and negatively impact public services."
Read more: https://x.com/i/trending/1809465789466001415
LCBO strike closes Ontario liquor stores across province | CBC News: The National | July 5, 2024:
LCBO strike puts privatization on agenda | Toronto Sun | Brian Lilley:
July 5, 2024 - “'Tonight, Ford’s dry summer begins,' Colleen MacLeod, chair of the union’s bargaining team, said on Thursday ahead of the strike. MacLeod said that if Ontario residents can’t get the alcohol they want this summer, it will be because of Premier Doug Ford. Actually, because of several moves Ford made over the last several years, residents of the province will still mostly be able to get the drinks they want despite the strike.
"Since the depths of the pandemic, any restaurant or bar that sells alcohol has been able to sell alcohol to go. That means every restaurant or bar in the province can act as a de facto liquor store. While in most instances these outlets charge more, there will likely be some enterprising operators who take advantage of the strike to sell booze at a reasonable price.... There are also craft distillers, craft brewers and wineries across the province that can sell their products from their own production facilities. The province will even be promoting locations where residents will be able to find alcohol to purchase from The Beer Store to local Wine Rack locations, local producers to pop-up bottle shops.... Oh, and starting in less than a month, the expansion of sales in grocery and convenience stores will begin.
"Does the union realize that they aren’t fighting a losing battle but a battle the province has already won? Do they not realize that their actions are proving why having a unionized government monopoly of alcohol sales is a bad idea?
"The union relied heavily on the idea that alcohol sales at the LCBO fund health care and education and without the sales coming through LCBO stores, the funding for those services would be lost.... LCBO turns over $2.5 billion to the province each year and that money does help fund services. Yet, if we look at other provinces, we can see that the government can still earn money from alcohol sales without controlling all aspects of the sale, warehousing and wholesaling of the product.
"Quebec has a hybrid model of alcohol sales with beer and wine widely available in private stores while also operating the SAQ, the government-run liquor store chain. Alberta has a fully private model for retail and has for more than 30 years. Both Quebec and Alberta earn significantly more per capita from alcohol via taxes and fees than Ontario does via the LCBO. And often, the prices in those provinces are lower than they are in Ontario.
"If having a government monopoly on booze doesn’t bring consumers lower prices and it doesn’t bring the government more revenue, then what is the point of having one?"
Read more: https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lcbo-strike-puts-privatization-on-the-agenda
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