Ontario Launches Alcohol Kiosks

Beginning later this year, liquor and wine will be available at 10 LCBO Express kiosks.

January 03, 2013

OTTAWA - Ontario??s government announced earlier this week that beginning later this year, liquor and wine would be available at 10 LCBO Express kiosks located within grocery stores, part of a pilot project with the LCBO, the Ottawa Citizen reports. The stores have yet to be selected.

"The goal here is better consumer access," said Dwight Duncan, the province??s finance minister. "Ontarians are, generally speaking, very pleased with the system of (liquor) distribution, they just want more access, and we think this is the right way to go."

The Ontario Convenience Stores Association said the initiative would have little effect on the challenge consumers face in purchasing alcohol in the province.

"How will 10 [LCBO] Express stores help?" asked Dave Bryans, CEO of the association. "That is a Band-Aid solution to what Ontarians are asking for ?" they want to be able to walk to a convenience store and purchase wine for dinner or drinks for New Year??s Eve."

Hillary Dawson, president of the Wine Council of Ontario, supports the pilot project.

"What we are hoping for is that it will demonstrate to the government that expanding points of access is a good thing," she said. "Then they will have to decide whether to continue expansion on the public purse or turn to the private sector."

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