lcbo extended hours

LCBO and Beer Stores in Toronto are now going to be open later

Doug Ford's Progressive Conservative government just released its long-term plan for reducing Ontario's $14.5 billion budget deficit and, for some reason, it includes selling liquor until 11 p.m.

A media release accompanying Minister of Finance Vic Fedeli's 2018 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review states that the province is "aggressively pursuing every opportunity to find new efficiencies and savings."

The measures, which include everything from the cancellation of many rebate programs to capping minimum wage, are laid out in five different sections on a new, easy-to-explore website called 'Ontario's Plan for the People.'

Alongside such categories to explore as "Taking Action to Put Ontario’s Fiscal House in Order" and "Tax Relief for Low-Income and Minimum Wage Workers" is a section called "Saving Money, While Improving Choice and Convenience for Beer and Wine Consumers."

That's right, booze has its own dedicated chapter in the provincial government's fiscal roadmap, and it confirms what Ford himself has been alluding to for months: looser liquor laws.

More specifically, the hours and days in which alcohol can be sold at retail stores are expanding.

Like Ontario's forthcoming recreational cannabis stores (more details about which were also released today), the LCBO, Beer Store and other authorized retailers will be permitted to sell alcohol from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m., seven days a week, under the new plan.

The government says it's still working on "developing a plan to expand the sale of beer and wine to corner stores, grocery stores and big-box stores."

Oh yeah, and 'buck-a-beer'. That's technically still a thing too.

Lead photo by

Lauren O'Neil


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in Eat & Drink

Ontario restaurant has people obsessing over its fried chicken

Toronto has a new street food market in a surprising location

Thousands of people want to boycott Loblaws stores 'indefinitely'

One of the most anticipated Toronto restaurants of the year is now open

Toronto cafe is closing after 12 years

New food hall in Toronto with over 50 vendors opens this month

Loblaws finally agrees to sign Canada's Grocery Code of Conduct

Toronto restaurant that enforced a no-tipping policy is shutting down