The premier of Ontario has announced his plan to make beer cheaper.
Doug Ford laid out his "buck-a-beer" plan at a brewery in Picton on Tuesday morning. He was joined by cabinet ministers Vic Fedeli and Todd Smith as he announced that, as of August 27, the government is lowering the minimum price floor from $1.25 to $1.00 per beer. The price floor will affect beer that contains an alcohol percentage below 5.6%.
"We're going to do this smartly and responsibly," said Ford in a statement issued Tuesday. "We trust Ontario beer drinkers and other consumers to make their own smart, mature and responsible choices."
In hopes of getting brewers on board with cheaper beer, Ford announced he is offering incentives to brewing companies. He says any brewers that agree to lower their prices will be given LCBO promotional considerations such as "limited-time discounts, in-store displays on end aisles and shelf extenders, or advertising in LCBO flyers and newspaper inserts." It's not clear how many brewers will take the premier up on his offer.
Public reaction has been mixed so far. While some beer drinkers are happy with the possibility of paying less for their suds, others are criticizing Ford for what they believe to be misplaced priorities. Several social media posts have taken aim at Ford for focusing on alcohol sales while cutting funding increases for social assistance and education.
