INFORMATION BULLETIN No. 038
(September 23, 2015)
As announced in the 2015 Budget, the Ontario government intends to introduce the sale of beer in up to 450 grocery stores across the province. The AGCO is responsible for authorizing eligible grocers to sell beer and ensuring that beer is sold responsibly and in accordance with the Liquor Licence Act (LLA), the Liquor Control Act (LCA) and their respective regulations.
In order to sell beer in a grocery store, store operators require a wholesale supply agreement with the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (“LCBO”) to be able to legally purchase beer from the LCBO for sale to the public. Visit the LCBO’s Media Centre for more information.
Successful bidders in the LCBO’s competitive allocation process for wholesale supply agreements will then be required to apply for an Authorization to Sell Beer in a Grocery Store (“Authorization”) from the AGCO. This Authorization will allow successful bidders to legally sell beer to the public, subject to the terms and conditions outlined by the Registrar of Alcohol and Gaming (“Registrar”), and the LLA, LCA and their respective regulations.
Applications for store Authorizations may be submitted to the AGCO at any time during the LCBO’s allocation process but must be submitted to the AGCO by November 17, 2015.
The application process is described in full within the Application for an Authorization to Sell Beer in a Grocery Store Guide.
If you have any questions or comments, please contact AGCO Customer Service during regular business hours at 416 326-8700 (in the GTA) or 1 800 522-2876 (toll-free in Ontario). You can also find helpful information and all of our forms and guides on our website at www.agco.ca.