The impulse of the Ford government to obtain beer, wine and cocktails ready in convenience stores before its original schedule will cost taxpayers more than $ 600 million, says the budget control agency of the province.
The finding was included in a new report on Monday by the Office of Financial Responsibility (FAO) that occurs only one day before Prime Minister Doug Ford triggers an early election in the province.
In total, it is expected that liberalized alcohol sales cost approximately $ 1.4 billion by 2030, FAO said.
Of that upper line figure, $ 817 million are related to the original plan to expand alcohol sales in Ontario by 2026. Meanwhile, $ 612 million is the estimated cost of Ford’s decision to accelerate the deployment.
That is almost three times the amount that the progressive conservative government said it would cost to ascend in the timeline in approximately 16 months.
The previous plan of the province was to expand the sales of these alcoholic offers before January 1, 2026, but last May Ford announced that this would happen in 2024.
The Ministry of Finance said that an “early implementation agreement” with the beer store involves Ontario that pays the company to $ 225 million to help you keep the stores open and workers employed.
That announcement first caused speculation of an early electoral call. When the prime minister was asked if he was trying to drink alcohol in the corner stores before an election, he did not commit to the fixed date of June 2026.
More to come.
