Sporting a casual black polo shirt and a blue apron while grilling burgers with cans of beer at hand, Ford launched an interactive map of local breweries, wineries, and distilleries.This came at a time when Ontario’s liquor retailer, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), is on strike for the first time in its history, due to the province’s outdated liquor control system.
On July 5, over 9,000 employees of the LCBO walked off the job after negotiations for a new collective agreement between their union, the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU), and Ford’s government collapsed. Consequently, the LCBO closed all 650 of its stores for at least two weeks, BBC reported.
In an X post, Ford said, “We’re delivering on our promise to offer more choice and convenience to the people of Ontario. By expanding the sale of beer, wine, cider, and coolers, we’re creating new opportunities for thousands of small businesses to serve new customers and create local jobs. Let’s all work together and make it an Ontario-made summer!”
This week, OPSEU returned to the bargaining table with the province, but negotiations resumed only after Ford promised to accelerate plans to allow canned cocktails in privately-run retailers—a major contention point for the union.
Previously, on May 24, Ford announced at a press conference that beer and wine would be available in corner stores in Ontario. “I’m thrilled to announce that we’re not only keeping our promise and delivering on our plan, we’re getting it done faster. In fact, starting this summer, beginning August 1, people will be able to buy ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages like coolers and seltzers at grocery stores that currently sell wine or beer. These stores will also be able to sell larger pack sizes like the 30-pack case of beer,” he said.
Briefly, it seemed the dispute was nearing a resolution when the union announced a tentative deal that would reopen liquor stores in a few days. However, during a scheduled news conference, union spokesperson Katie Arnup said, “We were prepared to come here to announce a deal. We do not have a deal. The strike continues,” claiming that Ford’s government had refused to sign their return-to-work order.
The LCBO countered by accusing the union of negotiating in “bad faith,” introducing new financial demands that should have been addressed earlier. The LCBO also announced plans to file an unfair labor complaint against the union, indicating that the dispute is far from over.