Derek Forward has created a petition calling on the province to end the Beer Store monopoly. The petition says:

“We the people of Ontario demand that The Ontario Government immediately remove the monopoly currently enjoyed by The Beer Store. The people of Ontario demand that the Ontario government allow beer to be sold and distributed through existing and regular grocery and food store channels.”

Over 3,000 have already signed the petition. If you agree and want to sign the petition, follow the link below.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/nobeerstore/

Mr. Forward found the inspiration to start his grassroots movement after discovering that the Beer Store controls 80 % of Ontario’s $2.9 billion beer market and is privately owned by the three largest brewers in the province - Labatt, Molson and Sleeman, which are owned in turn by large foreign multinational beer makers - Belgium’s InBevSA, the American Molson Coors Brewing, and Sapporo of Japan.

This grassroots movement has caught on and is growing. There is now a website http://freeourbeer.org/ that has been created expressly for the purpose of trying to reform Ontario’s retail beer system. You can give your opinion, answer polls, and see what others have to say.

Small brewers, small store owners, and bar and restaurant owners say that the Beer Store charges high prices and gives them limited choice. On the other side of the coin the government sings the praises of the Beer Store citing them as a leader in bottle recycling.

There is a growing movement that wants the government to either return the Beer Store to the status of a co-operative owned by all of the brewers in the province or license other businesses to compete. What’s your opinion? Personally, I think that competition is the best option for the consumer.