The Ontario government is not disclosing important information about its substantial stockpile of American alcohol products, valued at around $79.1 million. This stockpile was removed from store shelves as part of the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the United States. In August, a freedom-of-information request was submitted to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to learn about the status, size, and disposal plans for these U.S. alcohol products, which were taken off the market in March.

The LCBO took 64 days to respond to the request, exceeding the 30-day limit mandated by law. When the documents were finally released, they consisted of 50 pages but were heavily redacted. Key details regarding the amount of inventory at risk of expiring, the quantity already destroyed, and the total cost to taxpayers remain undisclosed.

This lack of transparency contrasts sharply with the practices of liquor authorities in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, which have publicly shared information about their U.S. liquor stockpiles. Among the limited details provided by the LCBO was an estimated $2.9 million set aside in its 2024-25 financial statements to cover expected losses from products likely to expire or lose value before sale.

However, the underlying data necessary for the public to verify this estimate or understand the potential waste is classified as "cabinet confidence." James Turk, a researcher at Toronto Metropolitan University, criticized this classification. He stated, "To claim that what their inventory of American wine and liquor is a 'cabinet confidence' is bizarre and outrageous." Turk, who specializes in censorship and government transparency, argued that such information should not be confidential, as it pertains to routine operations rather than policy discussions.

Turk further noted that the LCBO operates without competitors in Ontario, making the secrecy surrounding its inventory even more perplexing. He described the LCBO's actions as part of a broader trend of opacity within the provincial government, referencing previous instances where the Ford government resisted transparency, such as the refusal to release the premier's mandate letters for ministers.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles echoed these concerns during a recent visit to London, Ontario. She stated that the LCBO's classification of its U.S. liquor holdings as cabinet confidence reflects a troubling pattern of secrecy by the Ford government. "We as the opposition and regular Ontarians have a right to know what the government's decisions are being based on," she said. Stiles questioned the rationale behind the extensive redactions in the documents, asking, "What are they afraid of? Why so much secrecy?"

CBC News has appealed to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario regarding the LCBO's decision to redact significant portions of the internal documents. As of now, the Premier's Office, the Ministry of Finance, and the LCBO have not responded to requests for comment on this matter.