Quebec liquor board says sales are up at some stores amid LCBO strike

People wait to enter a SAQ outlet in Montreal on Jan. 18, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Graham Hughes)

Quebec’s liquor Crown corporation says it’s seeing a surge in sales at some stores along the boundary with Ontario amid a strike by workers of that province's liquor control board.

Société des alcools du Québec spokeswoman Linda Bouchard says that since last week the shelves have been emptying quickly at between 20 and 25 outlets located near Ontario.

She says spirits and ready-to-drink items are selling the fastest and that the SAQ has had to adjust its restocking schedule to meet demand.

Approximately 10,000 workers at the LCBO walked off the job July 5 after negotiations broke down.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents them, has said the province's alcohol expansion plans that would see ready-to-drink cocktails sold outside LCBO stores are the main issue in the dispute.

Bouchard says the SAQ hasn't yet calculated the increase in its sales, because it's focusing for the moment on making sure all its stores are well-stocked.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 16, 2024.