Ontario Premier Doug Ford's recent reforms have allowed grocery, convenience, and big box stores to sell beer, wine, and canned cocktails. This change has made it easier for consumers, who no longer need to visit the LCBO or the Beer Store for their purchases. However, a new government mandate set to take effect next year may complicate these improvements.

Starting January 1, over 1,000 supermarkets across Ontario will be required to accept returns of empty beverage containers. This service is currently managed by the Beer Store, which is seeing a decline in its locations. Many grocery stores are expressing concerns about the lack of space needed to sort, clean, and store these empty bottles. They argue that this requirement could lead to contamination of fresh produce. As a result, some supermarkets are considering halting alcohol sales unless the province provides a more feasible solution.

Critics question the decision to mandate supermarkets to handle dirty containers instead of establishing dedicated bottle depots, as seen in other provinces. They also suggest that the LCBO could take on this responsibility. With curbside recycling programs widely available, many wonder about the necessity of bottle deposits altogether.

Historically, refundable deposits on beverage containers were a common practice, especially in provinces without municipal recycling programs. However, as curbside recycling has become standard, the effectiveness of bottle deposits has diminished. Statistics Canada reported that by 2007, 95 percent of Canadian households had access to recycling programs, a figure likely higher today.

The convenience of throwing empty bottles into recycling bins has led many to view bottle deposits as an unnecessary burden. Critics argue that these deposits act as a hidden tax, with the LCBO reportedly earning nearly $15 million last year from unreturned bottles. Additionally, while some homeless individuals benefit from collecting these deposits, the system can also contribute to littering as they search for redeemable containers.

Environmentalists and advocates for the homeless often support deposit programs for their potential to reduce landfill waste. However, critics contend that if such programs did not exist, the public would likely oppose the idea of low-wage workers sifting through trash for recyclables. They also question why deposits are not applied to all recyclable containers, suggesting that doing so would significantly increase living costs.

Last year, the Ford government decided against implementing deposits on non-alcoholic beverages, despite a poll indicating that 81 percent of Ontarians supported such a measure. As the January deadline approaches, the future of alcohol sales in Ontario supermarkets remains uncertain.