Will Kathleen Wynne open up alcohol sales in Ontario?

After years of discussion and study, Ontario's Liberal government may finally be close to ending the province's Beer Store monopoly.

Beer sales in Ontario are effectively limited to two major retailers: The Beer Store, which is privately owned by three multinational brewers, and the government-owned LCBO. It was recently revealed that the two had an agreement to limit the LCBO's sales and promotion to six packs of beer, leaving 12- and 24-packs to The Beer Store.

The cost of a 24- or 12-pack is less per bottle (or can) than packages of six, thus giving The Beer Store cheaper beer.

Amid criticism that this all amounts to a government-enforced monopoly that benefits private brewers, the plan now before cabinet and slated to be a part of the spring budget involves issuing licences for hundreds of large grocery stores across the province – licenses that for the first time would allow those stores to sell beer and wine.

The return for the government, according to some estimates, would be about $100 million. That's not much when stacked up against a $12.5-billion deficit. But it's a start toward the Liberals' stated goal of improving infrastructure and transit.

Ontario's Beer Store retail chain is owned by a consortium of three large brewers. Through a secret deal with the government-owned LCBO, it has the exclusive right to sell beer in 12 and 24-packs. The deal has been criticized as a private monopoly supported by the provincial government. (CBC)

Call it "beer for buses."

This would also address the Liberals' two D's: badly needed dollars and a distraction from various scandals, including questions about spending at Ornge Air Ambulance and unproven allegations of bribery in the Feb. 5 Sudbury by-election.

But there could be a third D, this one for for "downside," since clearly not everyone is in favour of expanding beer and wine sales.

While it's hard to gauge at this point, both the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), which represents The Beer Store's employees, and the Ontario Public Sector Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents LCBO workers, are opposed to the government's plan.

Certainly both unions want to protect their members, but they also point to social and economic issues – concerns about keeping young workers who have to sell the beer and wine safe, and making sure only those who are of age can buy it.

OPSEU has even suggested the sale of beer and wine in grocery stores is at odds with the premier's determination to deal with sexual assault and harassment in the workplace and on university and college campuses.

But none of the unions' concerns appear to worry Wynne. Just last week in Barrie, she said that the plan is still a work in progress. But she stressed that when decisions are made, she'll move as quickly as possible to implement what she likes to call a fairer approach, so that Ontario`s craft breweries can continue to grow and brew beers that more and more people enjoy and insist be made widely available.

So in the end, the plan for the Liberals is to make it a win for Wynne and Ontarians.