Opposition to closure of Island’s only Beer Store
LITTLE CURRENT—Council for the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands (NEMI) has directed Mayor Al MacNevin to forward a letter to Brewers Retail and the provincial government indicating its many concerns with the announced closure of The Beer Store in Little Current as of October 19, and to have the decision reversed. A petition has also been initiated by a local resident calling for a reversal in the decision.
NEMI council, at a meeting last Thursday, passed a resolution to have Mayor MacNevin write a letter to the noted parties indicating council’s concerns around the loss of jobs with the closure, the loss of service, no process in place to manage returnable bottles and the impacts it could have on recycling.
“Everyone is surprised the Beer Store in Little Current is being closed, at least at this time,” Mayor MacNevin told The Expositor. He said it was apparent The Beer Store would be closing at some point, when the province allowed convenience and big box stores to sell the product, especially when it is the only show in town that provides the services it does. The liquor store has some beer, but not the choices The Beer Store does. And there is not a lot of room for stores to add the beer products to their stores, and I don’t know if they have even been approached. “No one knew when these closures would take place, including for the Little Current location. My assumption is that the impact is already being felt with the loss of sales, although I am not privy to whether sales have decreased.”
| Read our related story: |
| • Little Current Beer Store to close (Aug 18-25) |
“Personally, I was also surprised with the announcement for the Little Current Beer Store,” stated Mayor MacNevin. “I definitely didn’t expect it to take place at this point.”
“When the Brewers Retail started to announce the closures, they didn’t share this with us, the public until the decisions were made,” continued Mayor MacNevin.
Mayor MacNevin said, “(Brewers Retail) has indicated they are supposed to continue collection of returnable (bottles) with the closure in October, but I don’t know how this will be accomplished if they are closed. I am worried that a lot of these returnables will end up in the landfill rather than being returned for a refund. If you have three dollars in empties you’re not going to drive half an hour to get rid of your empty beer bottles.”
“The biggest concern though is the lose of jobs in the community,” stated Mayor MacNevin. “I don’t know how many people this closure is going to affect, but regardless, it means the loss of jobs.”
He noted a petition is being circulated by a local resident calling for a reversal of the decision. The petition was started by Debbie Lovelace, and as of Wednesday of last week, had 970 signatures.
“The sudden decision to close the Little Current Beer Store has sent shockwaves through our community in Little Current,” the petition on Change.org reds. “This beloved local institution is more than just a store; it serves as a vital community hub, providing not only access to a variety of beverages but also supporting local events and causes. For many residents, especially those without transportation, this store is an essential service that offers convenience and accessibility.”
“Statistics have shown that rural areas face a significant disadvantage when it comes to services that urban areas often take for granted,” the petition continues. “This closure would mean increased travel distances for many residents, contributing to both economic strain and environmental impact due to increased vehicle use. The Little Current Beer Store’s closure threatens local jobs, as employees might find it difficult to secure employment elsewhere without relocating.”
“The reasons behind this closure have not been made transparent to the public. Many residents are left with questions about the decision-making process and whether all alternatives for keeping the store open were explored. In a time when communities should be strengthened, not weakened, it feels unjust to see this cornerstone of our town taken away.”
“We urge the decision-makers and stakeholders to reconsider this closure and explore alternative solutions that could keep the store open. Whether it means restructuring, seeking community support, or finding financial alternatives, every possible solution deserves attention.”
“Please sign this petition to show your support for keeping the Little Current Beer Store open. Let’s urge the authorities to hear our collective voice and ensure that Little Current remains a vibrant and accessible community for all its residents,” the petition concludes.
“For organizations like the Lions Club that hold events like Haweater Weekend, I’m not sure how this will go now and how they will be able to get the large volume of products they need,” said Mayor MacNevin. “People are frustrated and upset, rightfully so. My thoughts are with the people losing their jobs.”
“I expected the closures to take place in cities where consumers have a number of choices of locations to buy beer from and are not limited to availability,” said Mayor MacNevin.
“To me, the biggest issue is the loss of jobs,” said Mayor MacNevin.
After October 19, residents will have to travel to Espanola to reach the nearest Beer Store.
Since April, The Beer Store has made eight separate announcements of store closures, with a total of 77 locations being shut down. In each case, the closure date is two months from the announcement date.
Each announcement mentions the “difficult decision” to close some locations, along with a similar statement from Ozzie Ahmed, retail vice-president of Brewers Retail. The latest says, “where we sell beer and collect empties in Ontario is changing. The Beer Store is modernizing to meet the changing marketplace and unfortunately this means making the hard decision to close retail locations. We know this is difficult news for customers and employees. As the Beer Store modernizes, our locations will continue to provide friendly customer service and a deposit return system that gets consumers their money back.”
“The Beer Store recognizes the contributions our employees make to the business and in the communities where we operate. All efforts will be made to support employees through this process in alignment with commitments and agreements.”
In late 2023, Premier Doug Ford announced that sales of beer, wine, cider and ready-to-drink cocktails would be allowed in convenience stores and all grocery stores by 2026. Then last summer the premier announced that the phase expansion would begin even earlier, in August 2024.
A 2015 agreement between the former Liberal government of Ontario and the Beer Store had given the retailer exclusive rights to sell 12-and 24-packs of beer until the end of this year. As part of the earlier expansion of alcohol sales, the province agreed to give the Beer Store up to $225 million.
In a press release at the time, the government said the money was “to make the necessary investments over the next 19 months to support a stable transition to a more open and convenient marketplace, including funding to protect jobs across the province and to keep The Beer Store locations open for the continued availability of recycling and bottle return.”
The agreement also included keeping at least 386 stores open until July 2025, and at least 300 until December 31, 2025.
The press release added, “The Beer Store will continue to run the effective and efficient province-wide recycling program for alcoholic beverage containers until at least 2031.”
To sign the petition, go onto Change.org and search ‘Stop the Closure of the Little Current Beer Store.’
Despite several attempts to have our questions on the issue answered by the Brewers Retail, The Expositor has received no reply as of this week’s press deadline.
