Where?

In Ontario.

LCBO is government owned and so is the Beer Store. That's what I was told anyhow.

The Beer Store is a monopoly owned by a couple of beer companies; hence the limited selection offered.

The LCBO is, yes. The Beer Store is owned by a consortium of major brewers. It is regulated by the provincial government.

The same situation is not present in all parts of Canada. Here in QC, good wine and spirits are bought from the SAQ (similar to the LCBO). Table wine and beer, along with weak spirits and tart fuel, can be bought almost anywhere, including gas stations.

Yeah I don't think you can buy alcohol in supermarkets in Ontario can you.

The Beer Store's prices are inline with LCBO, I think the government doesn't let them undercut them as they would lose money then as I would assume is mostly tax on the alcohol.

In general, you can't buy alcohol in supermarkets in Ontario. Some have outlets for individual Ontario wineries but for anything else you are stuck with the LCBO/Beer Store.

I don't think the LCBO and Beer Store really compete on beer sales. I haven't seen 24s in an LCBO.

Hi,

I meant compare in price.

That, I don't know. I no longer live in Ontario and thus rarely buy booze there.

I imagine, however, that you wouldn't bulk-buy beer in an LCBO if there was a Beer Store nearby.

That's right - different markets, LCBO sells beer on a lower volume, you can buy individual cans - useful if you're not sure whether something is going to be only fit for stripping walls.... The Beer Store sells in multiples of 6, though you pay extra for this privilege and it's most cost efficient to get a 24.

The province set's a minimum price for beer as a means to limit consumption

Doesn't work very well though, does it?

Wouldn't limiting consumption mean they'd get less tax revenue from it if the policy worked. It's like OLG telling people to gamble responsibly whilst running a lottery company.

Discouraging smoking by putting graphic warnings on packaging and collecting taxes on tobacco products.

T'was ever thus.

Maybe McDonalds, etc should be made to put health warnings on their burger packaging