Dave Bryans and other representatives of the OCSA at Queen's Park Tuesday. (John Michael McGrath/QP Briefing)

With both the governing Liberals and the New Democrats opposing their bid to sell liquor, beer and spirits outside of the Beer Store/LCBO duopoly, the Ontario Convenience Stores Association has few enough allies at Queen's Park. Nevertheless, the coalition of large convenience store operators this afternoon pledged to reserve 30 per cent of their shelf space to craft brewers and local Ontario wineries if the province ever decides to weaken its grasp on the liquor trade. That seemed less likely this afternoon, as even Tory finance critic Vic Fedeli refused to commit his party to the liberalization of liquor sales in the province.

"It's in our white paper … We're the only ones talking positively about this and we look forward to bringing that white paper to the legislature," Fedeli said Tuesday afternoon in response to one of several demands from reporters that he clarify whether the Tories would include liberalized liquor sales in their next election platform. "Let's have a debate about it."

Fedeli did reassert that the Tories are interested in discussing the virtues of liberalizing liquor sales, such as greater convenience for consumers.

The NDP and Liberals repeated their dismissals of liberalizing alcohol sales in Ontario today, with Premier Kathleen Wynne telling reporters in Scarborough "we have a terrific distribution network and we're going to continue to work with the LCBO to increase that network."

The OCSA, for its part, insist that consumers aren't being well served by the current network. "This isn't about replacing the Beer Store, the LCBO or private wine stores. This is about adding to the system for Ontario wineries, craft brewers and consumers alike," CEO Dave Bryans said. Bryans and others denied that the move would be a windfall for their companies, estimating that the current system with agency stores provides a 10 per cent profit, compared with the six per cent they make from selling lottery tickets.

Notably absent from the day's event was any representative from a small winery or craft brewer. The representatives of the OCSA explained the absence of any industry partner by saying they would be reaching out to the craft brewers immediately after the announcement today.

Bryans also suggested that the OCSA didn't want to put craft brewers in a position of supporting their proposal and potentially endangering their relationship with the LCBO, a scenario the president of the Ontario Craft Brewers dismissed.

"No, we don't worry about vindictiveness. But it wouldn't have made sense with us to be there anyway," John Hay said. "We're thrilled with our working relationship with them and the Beer Store."

Hay says that craft brewers are worried about the complete liberalization of beer sales, where beer and wine would be sold through corner stores and grocery stores. Hay says that big brewers would buy up all the shelf space in grocery stores and that would push craft brewers out.

"We'd like to see more self-serve beer stores, along with the LCBO and maybe a few more agency stores; that's a very, very difficult system to beat," Hay said. "We need that shopping experience in the Beer Store for our consumers and our members, and we haven't found anything else better in the world at the moment."

Fedeli wobbles on private booze sales as convenience stores pledge shelf space for Ontario beer and wine

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