TIMMINS - There's wasn't a huge rush for people to pick up booze at local convenience stores when they hit the shelves today.
At 7 a.m., dozens of Timmins convenience stores started selling beer, cider, wine, and ready-to-drink beverages local retailers.
“We haven’t had any sales yet,” said Brijesh Patel at Hilltop Confectionary on 6th Street and Spruce Avenue North in Timmins this afternoon. “But it’s still early.”
Angie Robinette at Tiffany’s Take-Out and Delivery said they hadn’t done any sales yet, but she expects it to pick up into the evening.
“Usually during the day we’re a little quieter than at night once people are home from work and they start wandering around,” she said.
The decision was an easy one for Patel who wanted to keep up with other stores in town.
“We thought there would be a lot of competition, so we decided to bring in (ready-to-drink beverages),” he said.
The convenience store staff had to receive around three hours of training online to get their Smart Serve certification as part of the licensing process.
That is currently the issue for Chez Nous owner Randy Toal.
Known for its poutine, the corner store received a licence to sell alcohol, but was late to the game getting things in order. They'll be carrying alcohol in the near future.
“Not everybody has their Smart Serve in the store, so we’re going to get them set up throughout the week with that, and when enough of them have it, we’ll start putting the beer out,” he said.
At Chez Nous, the staff will have to get the products for customers as well, said Toal.
“They’ll be able to see it in a section, and staff will have to go get it, because if not, then people will just walk out with it,” he said.
Hilltop received their first order the product a few days ago, and they’ve heard from customers that there is demand for those products.
“There were a couple of people who called us yesterday, asking if we’d started the sale,” said Patel.
The change in licensing to allow drinks made with hard alcohol in convenience stores was part of Premier Doug Ford’s promise to expand alcohol sales in Ontario.
In July, grocery stores with licenses to sell beer, cider ,and wine could include ready-to-drink beverages and larger cases of beer and cider on their shelves.
The application process for convenience stores to sell alcohol opened in June and became a contentious issue this summer during the nearly three-week-long LCBO strike.
If you're looking for a store now selling booze, check out this map showing what businesses have been given Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) licenses.
Here's what convenience stores have picked up a licence to sell alcohol:
Timmins
- Canadian Tire Gas and Convenience, 2207 Riverside Dr.
- Chez Nous, 20 Vimy Ave.
- Circle K, 20 Victoria Ave.
- Circle K, 287 Algonquin Blvd. W.
- Circle K, 4327 Harold Ave., South Porcupine
- Circle K, 565 Algonquin Blvd. E.
- Circle K, 60 Dwyer Ave., Schumacher
- Esso Gas and Convenience Store, 2154 Riverside Dr.
- Esso Gas and Convenience Store, 562 Algonquin Blvd. E.
- Esso Gas and Convenience Store, 690 River Park Rd.
- Hilltop Confectionery, 276 Sixth Ave.
- Laundry Macks, 127 Mountjoy St. S.
- McDonald’s Pharmacy, 67 Bruce Ave., South Porcupine
- Mobil Gas and Convenience Store, 315 Airport Rd.
- Mom’s Fries and Variety, 473 Pine St. S.
- Mountjoy Variety, 497 Mountjoy St. S.
- Petro Canada Gas and Convenience, 4310 Harold Ave.
- Tiffany’s Take Out and Delivery, 83 Wende Ave.
- Timmins Bazaar, 255A 3rd Ave.
- The Cache Campground, Highway 144, Kenogamissi Lake
Cochrane
- Angel's Mini Mart, 136 Railway St.
- Cochrane Truck Stop, 99 Hwy. 11 S.
- Costcan Liquor, 143 Fourth St. W.
Iroquois Falls
- The New Myna Convenience, 231 Devonshire Ave.
Matheson
- D&I Confectionary, 412 5th Ave.
- Esso Gas and Convenience Store, 430 Hwy. 11
- Tanny Convenience Store, 362 Macdougall St.
The LCBO is still the main seller of hard liquor, along with distillery retail stores and LCBO outlets. The Beer Store is also still open and is the drop-off point for empties until at least 2031.
