NDP: Billions on Booze, another bad deal for Ontarians

WATERLOO — Catherine Fife, Ontario NDP Finance Critic, released the following statement in response to the FAO’s damning report on Ford’s mishandled alcohol expansion:

“Just like Ontario Place and ServiceOntario at Staples, Doug Ford has launched Ontario into another bad deal, which will compromise revenues and increase alcohol consumption,” said Fife. “If he can’t negotiate a fair deal for Ontario, how can we trust him to negotiate with Trump?”

The report finds that expanding Ontario’s alcohol marketplace will result in a net cost of $1.4 billion under the Early Implementation Agreement. Of this, $817 million is tied to the planned expansion starting Jan. 1, 2026, while $612 million is attributed to the decision to accelerate the rollout to 2024. The FAO estimates that the cost to the province could range from $529 million to $1.9 billion by Dec. 31, 2030.

“Today, Ontarians learned just how much liberalizing booze sales will cost them. Instead of investing in health care and education, taxpayers have paid hundreds of millions to rush this process along in time for a self-serving snap election. Ford will always look after himself and his insider friends, and the rest of us pay the price at the bargaining table.”

Quick Facts:

• The FAO’s report found Conservatives racked up a net cost of $1.4 billion to expand Ontario’s alcohol marketplace in a hurry
• The province will see nearly 1.3 billion in lower tax revenues, primarily resulting from a shift in alcohol sales from retailers subject to beer, wine and spirits taxes, to grocery, big-box and convenience stores who are not subject to these taxes.