Mental health advocates are warning Ontario’s plan to massively expand the retail availability of some alcoholic drinks could come with harmful consequences.
Recently, Premier Doug Ford stated that starting in 2026, Ontarians will be able to purchase seltzers, wine, beer and cider at convenience stores, big box outlets, some gas stations and more supermarkets, marking a major overhaul in how alcohol is sold in the province.
Calling it the largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition almost 100 years ago, the province estimates less-alcohol products will soon be available at 8,500 new locations. In Canada Ontario will become the third jurisdiction to offer beer in corner stores and the first to sell ready-to-drink cocktails in those locations.
Recently during a news conference at Toronto convenience store Ford said that, this new open marketplace is going to create new opportunities for local brewers, wineries and retailers. It’s going to help local jobs and it’s going to give individuals more choice and convenience.
Coalition urges caution
The province said over the next five years, it will increase public health efforts and social responsibility by $10 million to address concerns about the expansion.
However, a coalition of three mental health groups including the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Children’s Mental Health Ontario and the Addictions and Mental Health Ontario issued a statement the day after the announcement, urging caution as the province rolls out the changes.
The coalition said, increasing the number of alcohol outlets has been shown to increase negative health outcomes including violence, injuries, alcohol-related crashes and death by suicide. They ask the province to make sure that crucial community mental health and addictions supports to be considered as part of the expansion.
Many studies show an increasing access to alcohol leads to an increase in harmful outcomes including hospitalization and death, mental health experts say. (RCMP)
Dr. Susan Farrell, CEO of the CMHA’s Ottawa branch, said these are common fears among advocates. The common perspective that we have is that alcohol policies really need to be based on health and well-being of communities and not just as a chance to increase revenue.
Tim Stockwell, a professor at the University of Victoria’s department of psychology and co-principal investigator with the Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE), said there have been many studies looking at the harmful effect of increased availability to alcohol.
In B.C., Stockwell said the rapid privatization of alcohol sales in the early 2000s led to an increase in consumption, followed by an increase in alcohol-related deaths and hospitalizations. Those harmful effects are felt mostly in lower-income areas.
Stockwell also said that, with thousands of new retailers competing for alcohol sales, prices will likely reduce and consumption will likely increase, especially in poorer areas. So, too, will the number of alcohol-related deaths in Ontario. There will be an upward pressure on that number with this rapid increase in the number of stores, and also downward pressure on price as a result of these policies.
Limiting access and increasing the minimum price of alcohol will have the opposite effect, he said and in the long run will save taxpayers money.
CAPE recently produced its third “report card” marking each province and territory by linking their alcohol policies to public health outcomes in each jurisdiction.
Ontario scored just 40 per cent, a failing grade by anyone’s measure, but the third-highest in the country, just behind Manitoba and Quebec. That’s before Ontario’s new retail policies take hold.
The Ontario Public Health Association also raised concerns earlier this year before the overhaul was announced.
Research shows that when alcohol becomes cheaper and freely available, consumption increases and so does alcohol-related harm.
