Beer, wine jobs won’t be as good

Re Retailers say expanded sales of beer, wine could create jobs, May 1

According to this article, “the retail council said an additional 4,028 stores would bring Ontario to the Canadian average for access to booze.”

Whoo-hoo! Another milestone achieved by the Ford government. Break out the champagne.

As your article goes on to note, even if 7,000 unionized Beer Store jobs disappear, there would be an estimated net gain of 2,100 retail jobs — in supermarkets, variety stores and big-box outlets.

Would those new jobs be full-time jobs with benefits and a living wage? In the retail sector? Surely I jest. Guy Wright, Etobicoke It is not surprising that the Retail Council of Canada, an advocacy organization for retailers, is promoting the so-called benefits of expanding beer and wine sales to corner stores and big-box outlets.

There is certainly plenty of money to be made by retailers, as their report notes, but it should be remembered that there is a big difference between “could” and “would” when it comes to job creation.

Is it also that important that Ontario reach the national average for access to booze? We are already in the process of licensing retail outlets for marijuana products. Considering the increases in impaired driving and health concerns, it appears that making money trumps the lives and health of Canadians. Greg Sheehan, Mississauga According to the provincial government and the Retail Council of Canada, people will be spending millions more on alcohol once it is sold in corner stores. Are these the same people who can’t afford to pay a carbon tax to help save the planet? Peggy Stevens, Newmarket The article quoting Karl Littler of the Retail Council of Canada was very inaccurate. He said there will be $880,000 in increased sales for each licenced supermarket. That increase likely comes from selling more costly beer and wine instead of Gatorade in their coolers. Space is finite in retail establishments. Stocking and selling alcohol instead of Gatorade creates no new jobs.

It took a few seconds to figure out how he got the $3.5 billion in economic activity. He took the $880,000 in increased sales and multiplied it by the 4,000 new outlets. It works out to $2,500 in sales a day. Seems a bit high for a corner store.

Because he does not talk about reduced sales elsewhere, I assume he means increased sales. Divide that $3.5 billion by the population of Ontario (14 million) and that’s $250 in sales per person. If you assume about half the people in Ontario drink, that is $500 in more booze per person per year.

The Ford government is anti minimum wage hikes, anti worker protection and anti union representation. That is exactly the position of the Retail Council, which panders to him at every opportunity. Premier Doug Ford is now going to use your article to support his alcohol sales initiative. Congratulations. Michael Yaffe, Toronto There is a rationale in Doug Ford’s changes to alcohol sales. It is undermining unions. The LCBO has a strong union. If you extend the rationale to cuts in education, transit, health care and legal aid, the power of unions and professional associations is also challenged. As in U.S. states like Wisconsin, unions and the decent wages associated with membership are cut, along with the quality of service employees are able to deliver. Helen Betsy Stuart, Toronto