Buck-A-Beer In Ontario: Where To Buy And Availability

In 2018, Doug Ford, the Ontario Premier, announced a return to 'buck-a-beer', a campaign slogan used by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, which pledged to lower liquor pricing in the province. The minimum price of a bottle or can of beer was lowered from $1.25 to $1. However, the policy faced criticism from craft brewers, who argued that it would be challenging to maintain the quality of their beer while reducing prices. Additionally, public health and safety groups expressed concerns about the potential impact of cheaper beer on drinking habits. As of 2020, an expert claimed that the policy had led to a 10% increase in beer prices in Ontario.

Barley Days Brewery in Prince Edward County

Barley Days Brewery is located at 13730 Loyalist Pky, Picton, Ontario K0K 2T0, Canada. The brewery has received positive reviews for its friendly service, knowledgeable staff, and tasty craft beers. It offers a nice selection of beers and a great deal on a flat of 24. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable, and there is an informal patio with a great food truck during the season.

In August 2018, Barley Days Brewery was the site of a press conference held by Ontario Premier Doug Ford to announce the official launch of the "buck-a-beer" policy. The policy reduced the minimum price of a can or bottle of beer from $1.25 to $1, with companies not being required to lower their prices. Barley Days was one of only three breweries that participated in the policy, along with Cool Beer Brewing Company and the President's Choice brand of beer.

The Barley Days Brewery building has a rich history. In the late 19th century, local farmers grew and shipped barley across Lake Ontario to New York State, profiting from the growing American thirst for beer. This economic boom, often called "Barley Days," ended in 1890 when the US government imposed high tariffs on Canadian barley. In 2007, a craft brewer set up tanks in the same building, naming it Barley Days Brewery and starting the county's craft beer industry.

PC Cerveza, PC Dry, PC Light, PC Genuine and PC Honey

The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, led by Doug Ford, introduced the "buck-a-beer" campaign in 2018, pledging to lower the price of alcohol in the province. The policy was to reduce the minimum price of beer from $1.25 to $1 per can or bottle. However, the policy saw low adoption by breweries and resellers, with only three breweries initially participating: Barley Days Brewery, Cool Beer Brewing Company, and the President's Choice brand of beer.

President's Choice offers a range of beers, including PC Cerveza, PC Dry, PC Light, PC Genuine, and PC Honey. PC Cerveza is an American Adjunct Lager brewed in small batches, resulting in a clean, crisp, and refreshing lager with no preservatives and no aftertaste. It is often compared to Corona and described as a lawnmower or beat-the-heat beer. PC Honey Red is another lager, this time an American Amber/Red, also brewed in small batches with no preservatives. It is brewed with natural spring water and select ingredients to complement the all-natural honey, resulting in a smooth-tasting lager with a slight red hue.

While I cannot confirm the exact locations where you can buy these beers in Ontario, they are likely available at various liquor stores and supermarkets, such as the Real Canadian Liquor Store and Superstore Convenience, where they have been purchased by reviewers.

Cool Beer Brewery

Cool Beer Brewing Company, based in Etobicoke, Toronto, Ontario, is one of the few breweries that participated in the 'buck-a-beer' campaign. The campaign was a pledge by the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, led by Doug Ford, to lower the minimum price of beer in the province from $1.25 to $1.

Cool Beer Brewing Company was the only brewery still participating in the policy by the end of January 2019, although they restricted the discounted pricing to holiday long weekends, stating that it was otherwise unsustainable.

The company's flagship brand, Cool Beer Lager, was launched in 1997 and set the bar for craft blonde lagers in Ontario. The brewery also offers a range of other beers, including the only hemp-based amber lager in Canada, Buzz, which is 100% natural with no preservatives or additives.

Cool Beer Brewing Company's four-packs of Cool Lager were available under the 'buck-a-beer' deal at LCBO locations throughout southern Ontario.

Loblaw's President's Choice

Loblaws President's Choice was one of the three breweries that participated in Ontario's buck-a-beer program, which was announced by Premier Doug Ford during the final weeks of his successful election campaign in 2018.

President's Choice, or PC, is a brand owned by Loblaw Companies Limited, which is Canada's largest food and pharmacy leader and the nation's largest retailer. The brand first launched its buck-a-beer product in 1992, and brought it back in 2018 for a limited time, retailing select PC brand beer bottles for $1 (plus a $0.10 deposit).

The beers that were included in the 2018 buck-a-beer promotion were PC Cerveza, PC Dry, PC Light, PC Genuine, and PC Honey. These beers were available at Beer Stores across Ontario.

Loblaw's participation in the buck-a-beer program was short-lived, however, as the company ended its $1 sales of select President's Choice beers on Labour Day in 2018, just a week after the program was announced. Despite this, the company stated that the response from customers had been strong and that they had even run out of inventory in some markets.

Buck-a-beer in Ontario led to higher beer prices

In 2018, Doug Ford, the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, used the slogan "Buck-a-beer" during his election campaign. Ford pledged to lower the minimum price of beer in the province from $1.25 to $1. This policy was introduced on 27 August 2018, and only three breweries participated: Barley Days Brewery, Cool Beer Brewing Company, and the President's Choice brand of beer.

However, the "Buck-a-beer" policy was met with widespread criticism and saw low adoption by breweries and resellers. Most craft brewers in the province rejected the policy, arguing that they would have to lower the quality of their beer or fire employees to sustain such low prices. Some brewers also expressed concerns about the government's plan to give away prime shelf space in LCBO stores to companies that participated in the policy, which they believed would negatively impact smaller breweries.

Despite the policy's aim to reduce beer prices, some experts and industry insiders argued that it ultimately led to higher beer prices in Ontario. Jordan St. John, an Ontario beer writer, asserted that the price for a 24-bottle case of beer increased by about 10% after the introduction of "Buck-a-beer." St. John attributed this to the removal of the minimum price floor, which allowed breweries to charge higher prices.

In addition to potentially raising prices, the "Buck-a-beer" policy also faced opposition from public health and safety groups. They warned that cheaper beer could lead to increased alcohol consumption and related problems, such as impaired driving.

By the end of January 2019, Cool Beer Brewing was the only brewery still participating in the "Buck-a-beer" policy, and they limited the discounted pricing to holiday long weekends, citing sustainability concerns. Overall, the policy appeared to have fallen short of its goal to provide more affordable beer to consumers in Ontario and instead may have contributed to higher beer prices in the province.

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