Ontarians toast pandemic-forced relaxation of booze laws, poll finds

Ontarians are toasting the pandemic-forced liberalization of the province’s liquor licensing laws, a new poll suggests.

Nearly three-quarters — 73 per cent — support continuing to allow restaurants and bars to sell beer, wine and spirits to go, the Campaign Research survey for the Star found.

Only 16 per cent oppose the measure, introduced March 26 by Premier Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives to help a hospitality industry ravaged by COVID-19, while 12 per cent had no opinion.

Although the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario said the off-licence sales will be allowed only until Dec. 31, senior government officials have confided that the changes could be made permanent.

“People will always prefer to have more choice. We’re just catching up to the rest of the world,” Campaign Research principal Nick Kouvalis said Friday.

Hundreds of small-business owners across Ontario appear to be taking advantage of the change. In downtown Toronto, scores of restaurants and bars — which are restricted to serving takeout meals due to the state of emergency imposed on March 17 — have transformed into boutique bottle shops.

Typically, a wine that might retail for $20 at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario — and sell for $60 on an eat-in restaurant menu — is being sold by restaurateurs and publicans for $30 a bottle.

“Obviously, people are willing to pay more for the convenience,” Kouvalis said.

Because the LCBO controls all wine and spirits distribution, it remains unclear whether it will have an effect on the provincial monopoly’s bottom line.

The privately owned Beer Store supplies most bars with their suds.

Campaign Research polled 1,512 people across Ontario on Monday and Tuesday using Maru Blue’s online panel. It is an opt-in poll, but for comparison purposes, a random sample of this size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

The survey also found 74-percent support for continuing to keep much of the economy locked down to curb the spread of coronavirus.

That’s down from 83 per cent in last month’s tracking poll.

At Queen’s Park, Ford said the next phase of Ontario’s opening up would be announced next week, but “to be clear, stage two will not be happening immediately.” The province has been in stage one since May 19.

The poll found 73 per cent agree with the government’s three-stage plan on reopening the economy, with 20 per cent opposed and eight per cent unsure.

Asked how they feel overall, 60 per cent or respondents said they felt safe while 35 per cent felt unsafe, and five per cent weren’t sure.