‘Buck a beer’ could return to Ontario

TORONTO, Ont. – What do you think of beer prices in Ontario?

The provincial Tories said if elected this fall, they would consider lowering the price of cheap beer back to $1 a bottle.

If that were the case, the minimum price of beer would go from $25.95 to $24 for a case of 24.

The ‘buck a beer’ idea was scrapped by the McGuinty Liberals three years ago.

Beer and liquor prices are set by the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, which defends higher prices as a way to protect against over-indulgence.

The issue of cheaper beer prompted a lot of reaction from 680News listeners.

One listener said she isn’t concerned that lower prices will increase drinking. “I don’t think it matters what the price of beer is. If people want to drink it, they are doing to drink it anyway. So, whether or not they will lower it, it doesn’t matter,” she said.

Another listener disagreed with that sentiment. “I guess the fact that 50 per cent of all admissions to hospital are related to alcohol and smoking, why don’t you hand our smokes for free with the beer that you’re going to lower as well. It’s an absolute disgrace,” one man said.

“We need to be promoting safe non-drinking and driving, reducing the consumption of alcohol. This is an absolute disgrace and [we] should concentrate on important factors that affect all of the people of Ontario,” he added.

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