MISSISSAUGA, Ont. — As Ontario prepares for the potential LCBO strike beginning at 12:01 a.m. on July 5, it’s essential for licensees to stay informed and ready. Collective bargaining is currently underway between the LCBO and OPSEU, with the union in a legal strike position.
During an OPSEU strike, the LCBO plans to maintain essential services to minimize disruptions across Ontario. Here’s what licensees and consumers need to know:
LCBO’s online retail services will remain operational throughout the strike period. Licensees are encouraged to use the online portal for product orders to ensure continuity in their business operations.
All LCBO retail locations will close initially for a period of 14 days starting July 5. After this period, 30 LCBO retail stores will re-open on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with limited hours.
Beverage alcohol will still be accessible through approximately 2,300 private retail points of sale, including licensed grocery stores, The Beer Store, convenience outlets and other licensed establishments such as bars and restaurants.
LCBO Specialty Services and Duty-Free will also remain operational during the strike.
LCBO.com and the mobile app will continue to accept orders for free home delivery across Ontario throughout the strike duration. Due to potential impacts on distribution, reasonable caps on products in store and online may be instituted.
In the event of a strike, LCBO states that they have contingency plans to continue taking and fulfilling wholesale orders. Measures have been implemented across inventory build, warehouse operations and fulfillment to ensure beverage alcohol availability.
Licensees are advices to register on wholsale.lcbo.com if they haven’t already. During the strike, LCBO will only accept licensee orders via this platform, providing a more consistent ordering experience.
Same-day pickup service is no longer available.
The Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA) continues to talk closely with the LCBO and the Ontario government to mitigate any disruptions and ensure minimal impact on businesses.
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