Q: What is the relationship between the LCBO and the government of Ontario?

A: The LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) is a $4 billion arm’s length agency of the provincial government with some 600 stores across Ontario and 6,500 employees, including part-time workers. The LCBO reports to the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Renewal. The LCBO finances all of its expenditures through its revenues from product sales. LCBO dividends are remitted annually to the Government of Ontario's Consolidated Revenue Fund and contribute to Ontario’s ability to pay for schools, hospitals, roads and important social programs and major capital projects.

Q: What are the LCBO’s sales and profit figures?

A: Sales in fiscal 2007-08 were $4.1 billion and the LCBO delivered a $1.345 billion dividend to the Ontario government. This did not include $382 million in PST, $119 million in GST and $339 million in excise taxes and import duties. When payments to municipalities were included, the total was $2.2 billion. (As of May 21, 2008, these figures were unaudited.)

Q: What are the key corporate objectives of the LCBO?

A: Some objectives of the LCBO 2008-13 strategic plan are:

• Increasing customer engagement and satisfaction

• Expanding our role as a socially responsible retailer

• Maximizing returns to the people of Ontario

• Growing Ontario winery sales

• Further improving collaborative planning with stakeholders and trade partners.

Q: Is the LCBO the largest purchaser of beverage alcohol in the world?

A: The LCBO is one of the largest single purchasers of beverage alcohol in the world and one of the largest retailers, buying wines, spirits and beers from more than 70 countries around the world for Ontario consumers and licensees. A total of 19,000 products are available: 3,500 brands regularly on offer, 6,000 through VINTAGES, the LCBO's fine wines and premium spirits unit, and some 9,500 through the LCBO's Private Ordering and Consignment programs.

Q: What are the LCBO's key objectives and core values? 

A: The LCBO's core values are customer-service, social responsibility, innovation and excellence. The LCBO’s objectives are to increase customer satisfaction; promote the responsible use of beverage alcohol; and to maximize returns to the Ontario taxpayer.

Q: What is the VINTAGES program and where are VINTAGES products available?

A: The VINTAGES program was created in 1985. It offers customers an optimum assortment of fine wines and premium spirits, at every price point. Selections are offered to customers on a twice monthly basis. Selections can also be ordered through the VINTAGES Classics Catalogue, published three times a year, or through the online order service, www.vintages.com. The LCBO also operates six VINTAGES stores, some 30 boutiques and some 140 VINTAGES sections in regular LCBO stores. Customers can also obtain many other products not regularly offered in Ontario through the LCBO Private Ordering program.

Q: What are agency stores?

A: There are 200 agency stores in Ontario operated in partnership with the LCBO by established retailers in communities too small to support regular LCBO stores. In addition to making the purchase of beverage alcohol more convenient, stores in smaller communities bring additional revenue to those communities and help support the overall business base for these local economies.

Q: How many Ontario wineries have their own stores?

A: There are more than 370 Ontario winery retail stores located both in wineries or off-site. These are not regulated by the LCBO, but operate under licence from the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO).

Q: Do Ontario brewers and distillers sell directly to the public?

A: Yes. Ontario’s three largest breweries co-own The Beer Store outlets. These outlets are private businesses operated by owners Labatt, Molson-Coors and Sleeman. The LCBO does not own or operate The Beer Store outlets.

In addition, there are a number of brewery stores and a few on-site distillery stores in Ontario. These are private stores licensed and regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). Please see Related Sites for links to Ontario distilleries and breweries.

Q: How can consumers find out if a local LCBO store carries a certain product? 

A: Consumers can consult the LCBO website at www.lcbo.com or call the LCBO’s Infoline at toll-free 1-800-ONT-LCBO (1-800-668-5226), at 416 365-5900 in Toronto and by fax at 416 864-2596. Infoline can also be contacted by e-mail at infoline@lcbo.com. The TTY number for the deaf and hearing impaired is 1-800-361-3291 or 416 864-6898 in Toronto.

Q: I sampled a wonderful bottle of Burgundy wine while I was in France. The LCBO doesn’t carry it, so how can I get it?

A: The LCBO’s Private Ordering program can order case lots from anywhere in the world as long as the supplier will ship it to the LCBO. Please phone 1-800-668-5144, or in Toronto, 416 864-6739.

Q: Does the LCBO regulate bars and restaurants? 

A: No. Establishments licensed under the Liquor Control Act are regulated by the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO). The AGCO can be contacted at 1-800-522-2876 toll-free in Ontario and 416 326-8700 in Toronto, by fax at 416 326-5555 and by e-mail at licensing@agco.on.ca. The AGCO website is www.agco.on.ca.

Q: Does the LCBO recycle?

A: Consumers pay a deposit on purchases at the LCBO, agency stores and wine and distillery retail stores, and receive a refund when returning them to The Beer Store.

The Bag it back program is helping to divert significantly more glass and other beverage alcohol containers from landfill sites and results in more glass being recycled into higher-end uses, including new glass bottles, fibreglass and polar fleece.

It is also freeing up space in the Blue Box program, giving municipal governments an opportunity to expand recycling programs.

The deposit is 10 cents and 20 cents depending on the size of the container.

The LCBO has been a major contributor to the Blue Box program, which collected at least 64 per cent of bottles sold through the LCBO prior to the introduction of the deposit return program.

The LCBO has contributed more than $30 million to the Blue Box program and will contribute another $5 million a year for the next two years.

In addition, LCBO Sales and Marketing is working with suppliers to offer more products in alternative packaging, such as Tetra Pak containers, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic bottles and aluminum cans, which use less packaging than glass.

Consumers can also purchase cloth Envirobags in LCBO stores in place of disposable shopping bags and 50 cents from the sale of each bag goes to the LCBO National Heritage Fund, which supports community-based projects to preserve or restore wildlife habitat.

Suppliers are encouraged to minimize packaging and the LCBO recycles corrugated cardboard, fine paper, polystyrene, newspapers, batteries, printer cartridges, data tapes and other materials, as well as working to reduce the use of energy in LCBO facilities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Q: What is the LCBO Natural Heritage Fund?

The LCBO Natural Heritage Fund raises money for wildlife habitat restoration and rehabilitation throughout Ontario. Projects have included:

• restoration of native Ontario Atlantic salmon to Lake Ontario and its tributaries

• a winter breeding program for the endangered Eastern Loggerhead Shrike songbird

• re-establishment of bald eagles in the Thousand Islands region

• wetland and frog habitat development within the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and

• restoration of Carolinian forest in southwest Ontario.

Funds are raised by the sale of cloth Envirobags in LCBO stores and generous contributions by suppliers.

Q: Is the LCBO involved in social responsibility programs related to responsible use of alcohol?

A: Yes. LCBO programs include:

• Information campaigns aimed at teenagers, such as the Safe Prom Campaign, which includes posters, teachers’ educational materials and tips for both parents and teens. Please view this year’s poster and tips at www.lcbo.com/prom

• Talk to Your Kids about Alcohol: www.talktokidsaboutalcohol.ca

• Staff training to prevent the sale of alcohol to minors, and to persons who are intoxicated, e.g. SMAART Training for Staff; Challenge and Refusal Program

• Television commercials in partnership with MADD Canada. Please see MADD Canada's news release on the LCBO/MADD partnership, by clicking here

• Responsible Host Tips and Good Host kits for overnight guests

• Programs in partnership with other organizations, e.g., R.I.D.E. (in association with the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police)

• Please also see: Related Sites.

Q: Does the LCBO support non-profit organizations?

A: The LCBO is a major corporate sponsor of MADD Canada, a non-profit organization which combats drinking and driving. For partnership programs, including advertising campaigns to stop drinking and driving, trips for talking to children about alcohol, please visit: MADD Canada. 

In addition, LCBO offers various charities and non-profit organizations opportunities to set-up donation points in LCBO stores. LCBO staff are also proud of their record in raising funds via United Way personal donations and local fundraising efforts such as golf tournaments. Please visit: Worthy Causes.

Q: What is the liability of a host serving alcohol?

A: HOST: LCBO’s guide for responsible entertaining outlines liability issues and gives tips for responsible hosting. The guide also covers myths and facts about alcohol, guidelines on purchasing beverage alcohol for events, and a selection of recipes for mocktails (alcohol-free drinks). It also offers links to other useful websites, including MADD Canada’s Being Sued can Ruin a Good Party. 

The number one responsible hosting tip is: Don't drink too much yourself. As the host, you can stay on top of, and avoid, potential problems when you can think more clearly and act more quickly.

Q: I brought home a bottle of wine and it did not taste right: What should I do? 

A: Customers can return any products to the LCBO without a receipt if they believe the product is defective. The store manager will inform the LCBO’s Quality Assurance Department. Please note: Receipts are required if you are returning resaleable, unopened items.

Q: Can you tell me about the BYOW program where you can bring your own wine to restaurants?

A: The Ontario government provides consumers and restaurants two new choices: Bring Your Own Wine, and Take Home the Rest, both available at participating restaurants. The program allows patrons to bring their favourite wine to these restaurants, enjoy it during dinner, and take home the rest. In many jurisdictions, the program has been found to reduce drinking and driving, as patrons no longer feel they must finish all their wine with their meal.

Tips: Customers should call ahead and ask if the restaurant offers Bring Your Own Wine. Clients should also ask about corkage fees; inquire about any restrictions such as minimum food orders or a cap on the number of bottles that may be brought in for dinner. A key part of the program is safe and legal transportation of the wine. Bottles may not be opened before hand, and the wine must be re-corked by the restaurant afterwards.

Q: What safeguards are in place to protect an individual’s privacy when using an AIR MILES® Rewards card?

A: Information collected through AIR MILES® Rewards is held by the Loyalty Management Group, which passes on to the LCBO information on buying patterns. The LCBO does not receive information on individuals. For more information, please see: AIR MILES® Reward Program.

Q: Has the LCBO won any awards?

A: Since 1990, the LCBO has received well over 200 awards for store design, staff training and development, innovative retail practices, marketing and communications. These include some of the most prestigious awards in the retail industry, such as Innovative Retailer of the Year Award and Socially Responsible Retailer of the Year from the Retail Council of Canada and Outstanding Business of the Year Award from the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, a survey of nearly 1,000 readers of Canadian Business magazine named the LCBO one of the top 10 best managed brands in Canada and a Corporate Reputation Study, conducted by an independent survey company, placed the LCBO 15 out of the top 100 companies in Ontario.

The LCBO’s work with its trade partners has also been recognized. Our Collaborative Planning, Forecasting and Replenishment program helps ensure the right product is in the right place at the right time, resulting in increased sales, better forecasting, higher inventory turns, reduced stock-outs, improved customer satisfaction and increased profits. It received a Retail Technology Award from the Retail Council of Canada.

Q: Has the LCBO conducted customer surveys?

A: Large-scale customer satisfaction surveys show that 77 per cent of our customers rate their overall shopping experience as an eight or higher on a 10-point scale while dissatisfaction barely registers at less than one per cent.

The Customer Tracking Study, conducted annually and based on in-depth interviews with 2,400 people across Ontario who say they are the primary LCBO customer in their household, consistently reports satisfaction levels in the high 70s. This compares with 74 per cent when the study began in 1999.

The survey also tells us that for four out of every 10 customers the LCBO is one of their favourite places to shop.

Some of the highest rankings are for the friendliness and professionalism of staff.

Similar findings are reported by a more frequent survey known as Project SCORE. This is a monthly survey that asks 400 randomly selected LCBO customers across the province to rate their satisfaction with their most recent shopping trip to our stores and the reason for their rating.

Q: The LCBO has a reputation for having a good quality assurance program. How do you test the alcoholic beverages to be sold in Ontario?

A: In the interests of consumer protection, LCBO Quality Assurance conducts more than 400,000 laboratory tests on more than 19,000 different beverage alcohol products and tastes more than 5,000 products each year. This ensures products purchased and sold by the LCBO are safe for consumption, are of good quality, are authentic and are compliant with federal and provincial standards for composition, labelling and packaging.

The LCBO was the first liquor jurisdiction in the world to be doubly accredited to the 2000 version of the ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 certification, the standard specific to testing laboratories. (These are accreditations of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a worldwide federation of national standards bodies from some 130 countries, based in Geneva, Switzerland.)

Please note: All data as reported in the LCBO Annual Report for fiscal 2006-2007.