The Ontario government is keeping crucial information under wraps concerning its substantial collection of American alcohol items, valued at around $79.1 million, which were removed from sales outlets in response to the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and the U.S.
In August, CBC News submitted a freedom-of-information request to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) to inquire about the destiny, quantity, and disposal strategies for the U.S. alcohol products withdrawn in March. The LCBO took 64 days to respond, exceeding the legal 30-day limit by 34 days.
Upon the release of the documents, which consisted of 50 pages, the content was heavily censored. Most details regarding the quantity of inventory at risk of expiration, the amount already discarded, and the overall cost to taxpayers were kept undisclosed.
In contrast to other provincial liquor authorities in Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, where information regarding their U.S. liquor inventories has been made public, the LCBO’s lack of transparency is evident.
One of the limited disclosures in the LCBO documents was the estimated $2.9 million set aside in their 2024-25 financial statements for potentially expiring products. However, the underlying data supporting this estimate was labeled as “cabinet confidence,” preventing independent verification by the public.
Colin Blachar, the director of media for Ontario’s Finance Ministry, stated that the U.S.-made alcohol products remain off LCBO shelves and are currently stored until further notice, with minimal product expiration due to their extended shelf life.
James Turk, a researcher at Toronto Metropolitan University, criticized the classification of inventory data as “cabinet confidence,” emphasizing that such routine operational details should not be shielded from public scrutiny.
The resistance to disclose information by the LCBO aligns with a broader pattern of secrecy within the provincial government, according to Turk. The lack of transparency has raised concerns about the government’s willingness to be open about its decisions and actions.
The opposition party also expressed dismay over the secrecy surrounding the LCBO’s handling of the U.S. alcohol products, highlighting a pervasive trend of opacity within the Ford government. CBC News has initiated an appeal with the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario’s Office regarding the redacted internal documents from the LCBO.