Restaurants Canada on LCBO Strike
05 Julio 2024 - 3:24PM
Restaurants Canada urges the LCBO, the government and striking
workers to keep negotiating to reach a quick resolution and bring
the labour dispute to an end.
The summer season is a critical time for restaurants and bars
who rely on patio weather, tourists and sports fans to visit our
establishments and support the local community and economy.
Restaurants and bars in Ontario rely on the LCBO as their
primary provider for wine and spirits, with alcohol sales
accounting for a significant part of their revenue.
“Potential disruptions in alcohol supply reaching our
establishments could have significant impacts on our sector,
particularly at a time when operators are already faced with so
many challenges,” said Kris Barnier, Vice-President Central Canada
at Restaurants Canada. “Many restaurants are still in recovery from
pandemic debt, and now dealing with a one-two punch of weaker
consumer spending combined with operating cost pressures that have
grown by more than 20% in the last two years alone,” said
Barnier.
As major stakeholders in the province, Ontario’s bars and
restaurants generate $44.5B dollars in revenue each year and
purchase $15.6B dollars in food and beverage. Ontario has more than
38,000 food service businesses, directly employing nearly 445,000
individuals. A substantial portion, estimated around 14,000
locations, rely on alcohol sales - including products they purchase
from the LCBO - as a key revenue stream. This comes in
addition to thousands of other businesses that depend on
restaurants and bars as buyers of their goods and services.
We are in close communication with government and LCBO and will
continue to call on them to take all actions possible to alleviate
the strain on our sector, the jobs it provides, and the communities
it serves.
We extend our gratitude to patrons for their understanding and
continued support of the foodservice industry in Ontario. Our
restaurants are open for business and look forward to welcoming
guests.
Annette Goerner
Restaurants Canada
613-818-6941
media@restaurantscanada.org