The Beer Store has begun shuttering a number of locations in Ontario.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
Ontario’s long-standing beer retailer is continuing to close locations, adding to a lengthy list of shutdowns announced as Ontario expands where alcohol can be sold in the province.
On Wednesday, The Beer Store announced it is closing six more locations across the province.
Here’s what you need to know about the closures and how it will affect how you buy beer and return your empties.
Which Beer Store locations are closing?
Effective Nov. 2, The Beer Store is shuttering the following retail locations in Ontario:
- 1225 Wonderland Rd. N., London
- 511 Valois Dr., PO Box 628, Mattawa
- 3535 Etude Dr., Mississauga
- 4670 Bridge St., Niagara Falls
- 1355 Kingston Rd., Pickering
- 891 Notre Dame Ave., Sudbury
Customers can find open Beer Store locations online or search for another place to buy beer by visiting the province’s website.
Where should you return your empties?
The Beer Store says customers can continue returning alcohol containers to one of their open locations or to an empty return dealer in order to get their deposit back. These containers include: beer, wine and spirits bottles, aluminum cans, plastic bottles, tetra packs and kegs.
Starting Jan. 1, 2026, all grocery stores that sell alcohol must accept the return of empties and refund customer deposits, according to the Ontario Alcohol and Gaming Commission.
Why is The Beer Store closing some retail locations?
The 12 new closures come more than a year after Ontario Premier Doug Ford unveiled a deal that will speed up his plan to allow beer in the province’s corner stores, and require the government to funnel up to $225-million to the Beer Store chain.
The government said the new deal, which will also allow beer, wine, cider and premixed drinks in all grocery and big-box stores as well as convenience stores, will give Ontarians up to 8,500 more places to buy booze – ending the Beer Store’s dominance over beer sales, which dates back a century to the end of Prohibition.
Ontario to pay $225-million to Beer Store to speed up corner-store sales
The $225-million will go toward covering wages and other costs to keep a minimum number of Beer Store locations open, as the chain is a key part of the province’s recycling system. The money also came with a pledge to keep at least 386 of the Beer Store’s 422 outlets open until July, 2025, and at least 300 running until the end of this year.
The Beer Store said its recycling program will continue until at least 2031.
Only 450 grocery-store locations were allowed to offer wine and beer under the previous Beer Store agreement. The new deal, announced May 24, 2024, will allow all grocery stores, big-box stores and corner stores to sell the 12 and 24 packs now exclusively sold at the Beer Store, as well as 30 packs.
What are Ontario’s rules for beer and alcohol sales?
As of Sept. 5, 2024, all licensed convenience stores in Ontario are able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages. By Oct. 31, 2024, all licensed grocery stores and big-box grocery stores were also able to sell alcohol, including in large pack sizes.
The stores will be allowed to sell alcohol from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Spirits are only available in LCBO stores and outlets.
All licensed convenience stores in Ontario have been able to sell beer, cider, wine and ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages since Sept. 5, 2024.Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
Which other Beer Store locations are set to close this year?
The chain has already announced dozens of other closures, including the following shutdowns, which began on Aug. 24:
- 711 Mackenzie St. E., Atikokan
- 115 Causley St., Blind River
- 160 Oak St., Bothwell
- 3098 Falconbridge Hwy., Garson
- 1160 Beaverwood Rd., Manotick
- 760 Main St., Powassan
- 8825 Yonge St., Richmond Hill
- 1089 Kingston Rd., Scarborough
- 772 The Queensway, Toronto
- 720 Spadina Ave., Toronto
Ten more stores are expected to close on Sept. 14, including:
- 2020 Appleby Line, Burlington
- 3322 5 Hwy. #17, Deep River
- 229 Dundurn St. S, Hamilton
- 12334 Hwy. #41, Northbrook
- 1910 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa
- Erie St. S, #21 Hwy, Ridgetown
- 4479 Kingston Rd, Scarborough
- 41 Front St, Sioux Lookout
- 636 Greenwood Ave., Toronto
- 4681 Hwy # 7, Unionville
And on Sept. 28, 11 more locations will close, including:
- 3025 Hwy. #169, Bala
- 10585 Bramalea Rd., Bldg. D., Brampton
- 30 Mill St., Clinton
- 111 Main St., Morrisburg
- 49 Stover St. S., Norwich
- 35 Birks Dr., Red Lake
- 167 Queen St., Rodney
- 24585 Hwy. #7, Sharbot Lake
- 4145 Harold Ave, South Porcupine
- 156 Mission Rd., Wawa
- 482 Josephine St., Wingham
Effective Oct. 19, 12 more stores will close, including:
- 882 Ward St., Bridgenorth
- 8647 Hwy. #60, Eganville
- 89 Main St. S., Forest
- 21 Ontario St. N., Grand Bend
- 398 King St. W., Harrow
- 53 Meredith St. E., Little Current
- 33 Argyle St., Markdale
- 142 David St. N., Noëlville
- 3078 Don Mills Rd., North York
- 704 Main St., Sauble Beach
- 900A Don Mills Rd., Unit #100, Toronto
- 800 Gerrard St. E., Toronto
With reports from Jeff Gray and The Canadian Press