One brewery in Windsor is not too concerned about Premier Doug Ford’s “buck a beer” platform.
The Premier announced on Tuesday that the Ontario government will offer "non-financial incentives" to brewers who sell their beer for $1 once the plan is in place later this month.
Those incentives include prime spots in LCBO stores for participating businesses, or advertising in the store magazine's inserts, among other possible rewards.
Ian Gourlay, a business partner at Walkerville Brewery in Windsor, says they will not take part in the program.
“We’re producing very high quality beer, selling it locally,” says Gourlay.
Gourlay says the craft beer industry continues to grow, and Walkerville Brewery will continue to produce a top quality brew.
“If a buck a beer makes beer more attractive to some consumers, I think that's great,” says Gourlay. “We're just doing fine in the area of the market we're in.”
Speaking at a brewery in Picton on Tuesday, the premier said the program, which was one of his promises during the spring election campaign, will not cost taxpayers anything.
The Progressive Conservative plan will lower the minimum price of a bottle or can of beer to $1 from $1.25 starting Aug. 27 -- a few days before the Labour Day weekend.
Brewers would not be required to charge less, however, and the lower minimum price would not apply to draft beer, nor would it include the bottle deposit.
The Tories have said a return to buck a beer would see more competition in the beer market without affecting the province's revenues from beer and wine taxes, which government documents show brought in roughly $589 million in 2016-2017.
Ontario previously had buck-a-bottle beer but the then-Liberal government quietly hiked the minimum price in 2008, citing its "social responsibility" mandate.
Ford has also vowed to expand the sale of beer and wine to corner and box stores in Ontario.
