Alcohol potentially a ‘saving grace’ for Ontario convenience stores as sales begin

Terry Yaldo never thought this day would come.

The owner of Midway Convenience in Windsor, Ont., says alcohol sales in corner stores – which officially began Thursday across the province – will be a “saving grace” for many small business owners.

“It’s going to save a lot of stores from potential closure. This will give us the boost of foot traffic that we need to survive,” said Yaldo, who also serves as chair of the Ontario Convenience Stores Association.

“We’re projecting anywhere from 30 to 40 per cent increase in overall sales and foot traffic. That can be the saving grace for a lot of small businesses.”

The move to let Ontario convenience stores sell beer, wine and ready-to-drink products was supercharged earlier this year.

In May, the Ford government paid The Beer Store $225 million to sign a new agreement on alcohol sales that would reduce its grip on the market, and allow as many as 8,500 new locations to begin selling booze.

The deal prompted a phased expansion, with already licensed grocery stores allowed to sell more products, followed by new licenses for convenience stores. The expansion will wrap up in October when new grocery stores get licenses to sell alcohol.

As of late August, more than 4,100 convenience stores had signed up to sell alcohol. Until recently, alcohol could only be purchased at the LCBO, Beer Store and Wine Rack, and at select grocery stores.

The expansion plan was first conceived in the run-up to the 2018 election and solidified last winter, with a promise to deliver the deal by 2026.

It came to fruition years after it was announced but earlier than expected in July, as the offerings at grocery stores were expanded to include ready-to-drink beverages and large beer pack sizes.

The decision to move