Another London Beer Store is closing, along with 4 others across Ontario

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 12, 2025 5:46 PM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

A Beer Store determination successful London is 1 of 5 crossed Ontario set to adjacent astatine the extremity of April, marking the 2nd Beer Store closure successful the city, among dozens in the state since the twelvemonth began.

The Beer Store's 514 Adelaide St. determination volition close on April 27. It volition bring the total tally of stores closed successful the state since May 2024 to 28, according to John Nock, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 12R24, which represents all Beer Store workers successful Ontario.

Other stores acceptable to adjacent successful the latest circular of closures are successful Kitchener, Erin, Hearst and Corunna.

Nock worries the closures truthful acold are an sick omen for what could yet beryllium adjacent much closures down the line.

"My concern is evidently our members. They've sold brew responsibly successful this state for going connected 100 years. The adjacent fearfulness is for the public," said Nock, adding that helium believes brew prices volition emergence arsenic much closures occur, and more of the marketplace stock for brew volition spell to market and convenience stores that don't person terms caps.

So far, the national said 23 Beer Stores crossed the state person unopen down since Doug Ford's government accelerated the merchantability of beer, vino and ready-made cocktails successful country stores, state stations and supermarkets past May.

Nock said the statement that allowed the state to accelerate that alteration stipulates that astatine slightest 300 Beer Store locations indispensable enactment unfastened until the extremity of 2025, but aft that, each bets are off.

Employees affected by closures truthful acold person been capable to enactment successful different Beer Stores nearby, but if galore much stores close, determination volition beryllium excessively galore employees for that solution to beryllium viable, helium said.

All the while, Nock besides expressed concerns over the Ontario Deposit Return Program.

Currently, each stores that privation to sell brew indispensable judge and recycle bare brew containers. Stores wrong 5 kilometres of a Beer Store Location until Jan. 1, 2026. Store owners crossed the state person pushed backmost against the rules, claiming the expectations are untenable.

Nock believes market stores that don't hold with the rules won't beryllium punished by the government.

"There's been complaints made to AGCO and truly nothing's travel of them. These radical are inactive selling beer and wine," Nock said.

To support Beer Stores open, and forestall his different concerns coming true, Nock said helium hopes much radical volition take to store determination alternatively than market and convenience stores.

"My fear is if radical aren't buying astatine the Beer Store arsenic much, they'll close even much stores," helium said.