Ontario’s Beer Store has added another 12 locations to its ever-growing list of closures as alcohol sales grow in the province’s grocery and convenience stores.

The closures, effective Oct. 19, are scattered across the province, but include three stores in Toronto, and adds to the 44 locations that the retailer has already closed or will be closing.

“The Beer Store is modernizing to meet the changing marketplace and unfortunately this means making the hard decision to close retail locations,” Ozzie Ahmed, vice-president of retail at the Beer Store,

said in a release. “We know this is difficult news for customers. As the Beer Store modernizes, our locations will continue to provide friendly customer service and a deposit return system that gets consumers their money back.”

The Beer Store, legally operating as Brewers Retail Inc., once had a near monopoly on beer sales in Ontario for decades, but that has slowly changed since 2015, when the provincial government opened the door to beer and wine sales in some grocery stores.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford expanded the program last year by opening beer sales to all grocery stores and convenience stores.

As part of the plan, he announced $225 million in public funding to help the Beer Store maintain at least 300 locations through the end of 2025. The company had 407 stores in 2024, according to its operations report that year.

Despite the closures, it has committed to maintaining its recycling program until at least 2031, while participating grocery and convenience stores must begin to accept empties on Jan. 1, 2026.

Here’s a look at the upcoming closures and those that have already closed:

  • 882 Ward St., Bridgenorth
  • 8647 Hwy. #60, Eganville
  • 89 Main St. S., Forest
  • 21 Ontario St. N., Grand Bend
  • 398 King St. W., PO Box 249, Harrow
  • 53 Meredith St. E., PO Box 210, Little Current
  • 33 Argyle St., Markdale
  • 142 David St. N., Noëlville
  • 704 Main St., Sauble Beach
  • 3078 Don Mills Rd., Toronto
  • 900A Don Mills Rd., Unit #100, Toronto
  • 800 Gerrard St. E., Toronto
  • 2020 Appleby Line, Burlington
  • 3322 5 Hwy. #17, Deep River
  • 229 Dundurn St. S, Hamilton
  • 12334 Hwy. #41, PO Box 17, Northbrook
  • 1910 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa
  • Erie St. S, #21 Hwy, Ridgetown
  • 41 Front St, Sioux Lookout
  • 636 Greenwood Ave., Toronto
  • 4479 Kingston Rd, Toronto
  • 4681 Hwy # 7, Unionville
  • The Beer Store closes 10 more locations
  • Few Ontario grocery stores accepting booze empties
  • 1953 Ravenscroft Rd., Ajax
  • 4501 Bath Rd., Amherstview
  • 14800 Yonge St., Aurora
  • 93 Notre Dame St. E., Azilda
  • 130 Cedar St., Cambridge
  • 6716 Hwy.#35, PO Box 269, Coboconk
  • 1396 2nd St. E., Cornwall
  • 227 Cambridge Ave., Iroquois Falls
  • 3rd Ave. & Main St., Levack
  • 5804 Hwy 7, Markham
  • 51 Millside Dr., Milton
  • 1015 Bronte St. S., Milton
  • 2925 Eglinton Ave. W., Mississauga
  • 3154 Hurontario St., Mississauga
  • 65 Queen St. N., Mississauga
  • 1431 Rebecca St., Oakville
  • 104 Lakeshore Rd. W., Oakville
  • 1011 Upper Middle Rd., Oakville
  • 900 Bank St., Ottawa
  • 2144 Carling Ave., Ottawa
  • 13469 Yonge St., Richmond Hill
  • 2934 Finch Ave. E., Toronto
  • 89 Laird Drive., Unit 1, Toronto
  • 41 Mill St, Toronto
  • 761 Queen St. W., Toronto
  • 1270 Woodbine Ave., Toronto
  • 609 Roehampton Ave., Toronto
  • 1580 Avenue Rd., Toronto
  • 55 Queen St., Tottenham
  • 1470 Major Mackenzie Dr., Vaughan
  • 690 Berford St., PO Box 202, Wiarton
  • 790 Goyeau St., Windsor
  • 1780 College Ave., Windsor
  • 7676 Islington Ave. W., Woodbridge