An old promise finally delivered gives Tories something to run on

Six years after first campaigning to liberalize alcohol sales in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford has kept a promise that sets the table for the next election.

- ROBERT BENZIE

With beer, wine, cider and premixed cocktails available in 4,187 licensed convenience stores across Ontario as of Thursday morning, Ford finally realized a cornerstone 2018 election pledge.

“Today’s expansion delivers on our government’s promise to give people in Ontario the same choice and convenience enjoyed by people throughout the rest of Canada,” the premier said in a statement.

“With today’s announcement, we’re also creating new opportunities to produce and sell world-class Ontario-made beer, wine and ready-to-drink beverages in nearly 4,200 convenience stores across the province,” he said.

As first announced in May, the Progressive Conservatives are paying the privately run Beer Store $225 million to break the 10-year “master framework agreement” former Liberal premier Kathleen Wynne signed in 2015, which allowed six-packs and wine in 450 supermarkets.