The Ontario government is maintaining secrecy around its substantial stash of American alcohol products worth around $79.1 million, which were removed from stores as a retaliatory measure in the ongoing trade conflict between Canada and the U.S.
After CBC News requested information from the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) in August regarding the fate and disposal plans of the U.S. alcohol products removed in March, the LCBO took 64 days to respond, exceeding the legal 30-day timeframe. The released 50-page documents were heavily redacted, concealing details such as the amount of inventory at risk of expiration, the quantity already destroyed, and the total cost to taxpayers.
Unlike other provincial liquor authorities in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, which have disclosed information about their U.S. liquor stockpile, the LCBO has chosen to keep crucial details under wraps. The documents did reveal an estimated $2.9 million provision in the 2024-25 financial statements to cover potential losses from expiring products.
Colin Blachar, the director of media for Ontario’s Finance Ministry, stated that the U.S.-made alcohol products are still in storage following the government’s directive to remove them from LCBO shelves due to trade tensions. The LCBO contends that only a minimal amount of the products have expired, as most alcohol items have a long shelf life.
James Turk, a researcher at Toronto Metropolitan University, criticized the LCBO’s classification of inventory details as “cabinet confidence,” arguing that this information should not be shielded from the public. Turk highlighted a broader trend of secrecy within the provincial government, citing past instances where transparency was lacking.
The NDP also criticized the government’s lack of transparency, with party leader Marit Stiles noting that the redacted documents from the LCBO are part of a larger pattern of secrecy by the Ford administration. CBC News has appealed the LCBO’s decision to redact the internal documents to the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario’s Office, seeking further transparency.
