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This out today from Ontario's info-machine:
A bit more, from the LCBO info-machine:In a move that offers consumers more convenience and choice while maintaining a strong commitment to social responsibility, the Ontario government is now accepting bids from grocery retailers interested in carrying beer.
Premier Kathleen Wynne made the announcement today with Ed Clark, Chair of the Premier's Advisory Council on Government Assets. This is a key step forward in the biggest change to alcohol retailing in Ontario since Prohibition was repealed nearly 90 years ago.
The government has established specific eligibility criteria to provide the best value for consumers while ensuring that small and large grocers, and all regions of Ontario, are fairly represented. Beer sales will be expanded to grocery stores starting with 60 locations, to be announced in December 2015.
As part of Ontario's commitment to social responsibility, grocery stores interested in selling beer must commit to meeting strict requirements for the safe retailing of alcohol, including standard hours of sale and rigorous training for staff.
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- Under this initiative, up to 450 grocery stores across the province will be allowed to sell beer — including up to 150 by May 2017.
- Interested grocery retailers can register at www.biddingo.com under LCBO RFB #2015-010. The deadline for submissions is November 6, 2015. A third-party Fairness Commissioner will oversee the bidding process.
- The new beer agreements and grocery store allocation process meet key principles laid out in the Council’s final report, released in April. Grocery store retailers will not be subject to a strict cap on sales. When fully phased in, should sales across the grocery network exceed $450 million, grocers whose sales exceed their share of that global cap will pay a small fee.
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario will be responsible for appropriately regulating the new private retail channels ....
The LCBO today released a Request for Bids (RFB) for eligible Ontario grocery retailers wishing to sell beer. The RFB for as many as 60 locations has been posted on the procurement website, www.Biddingo.com.
The LCBO Request for Bids initiates a competitive process to select which grocers will be able to purchase beer from the LCBO for resale to the public. This will be an open, fair and transparent process through which eligible grocery retailers will bid on the financial terms on which they will purchase beer from the LCBO. Successful bidders will then apply to the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) for an authorization(s) to sell beer.
Eligibility requirements are set out in regulations under the Liquor Control Act.
Interested grocery retailers are asked to register and access the LCBO RFB at www.biddingo.com.
The deadline for submissions to the RFB is November 6, 2015 no later than 10:00:59 am (Toronto Local Time).
LCBO has engaged the services of a fairness commissioner to provide oversight and advice to support integrity and fairness throughout the bidding process.
As many as 60 grocery stores are expected to be selected and authorized before the end of calendar, 2015 with the potential of as many as 450 grocery stores eventually selling beer six-packs or smaller formats ....