Province vows to VOWS enforce rules on alcohol sales

Team of inspectors to monitor rollout to corner stores starting this week

- BEN COHEN

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario said it has more than 100 inspectors to monitor the 4,146 convenience stores approved so far to sell beer, wine and canned cocktails starting Thursday.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario has staffed up in advance of booze coming to corner store shelves this week and says it plans to carry out "unannounced inspections" to make sure the new rules are being followed.

One thing it won't be looking for, however, is whether alcoholcarrying stores are near schools.

Unlike with cannabis stores or supervised drug consumption sites, the province is not creating bubble zones around students to protect them from alcohol.

The AGCO said with increased provincial funding it now has more than 100 inspectors to monitor the 4,146 convenience stores approved so far to sell beer, wine and canned cocktails starting Thursday. The commission is the sole enforcer when it comes to ensuring only eligible stores get to sell eligible beverages.

These inspectors are supported by "back-office analysts and advanced, data-driven monitoring tools," said AGCO spokesperson Raymond Kahnert.

"Proactive inspections allow us to help educate licensees and address potential issues before they escalate, while responsive inspections follow up on any public complaints or issues flagged by local authorities," he added.

The City of Toronto said it had no influence on the rollout and will not be watching over it.