Independent grocers say they are being asked to pay the same big fees as retail giants like Loblaws in order to sell beer and it’s effectively going to keep them out of the market. At an information session held Wednesday, Ontario grocers learned that if they get a licence, selling beer will cost them $7,000 per store, per year, regardless of the size of the operation.
“It seems like they’re just paying lip service to the idea of independents being able to sell beer,” said David La Mantia, owner of La Mantia’s Country Market in Lindsay.
Giancarlo Trimarchi, a partner in Vince’s Market stores in Newmarket, Uxbridge and Sharon, calculated that he’d have to sell $233,000 in beer a year to pay the fee.
Francine Kopun – Hamilton Spectator – Oct 02, 2015.
Want More Investigative Content?
