MAP: Convenience stores licensed to sell alcohol in Mississauga and Brampton

Hundreds of convenience stores in Mississauga and Brampton will be able to sell alcohol starting next Thursday (Sept. 5).

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) confirmed to INsauga.com that as of Monday, 178 convenience store licences have been approved in Mississauga and 157 have been approved in Brampton.

“Most of the licences issued to date have been to businesses that already hold a lottery retailer, liquor sales, or grocery store licence from the AGCO,” an email from an AGCO spokesperson said.

“As such, they have already been vetted for eligibility and compliance (i.e. their ability to act with honesty, integrity and in accordance with the law).”

It’s part of the province’s wider alcohol sale expansion, with Sept. 5 marking one of the most significant dates in the timeline.

On July 18, grocery stores that were already licenced to sell beer, wine, or cider were also able to sell ready-to-drink beverages and large pack sizes, the province’s website notes.

Come Sept. 5, licenced convenience stores will be able to sell beer, wine, cider, and ready-to-drink beverages.

And by the end of October, every convenience, grocery and big-box store will be able to sell booze if they choose to do so.

The province said it expects that over time, the changes will result in an estimated 8,500 additional stores throughout Ontario where people can purchase alcohol, resulting in the “largest expansion of consumer choice and convenience since the end of prohibition almost 100 years ago.”

LCBOs, meanwhile, will continue to be the only places where people can purchase spirits, other than at distillery retail stores and LCBO convenience outlets.

The Beer Store will continue to operate as well, and continue its recycling program until at least 2031.

See the map below for a look at which convenience stores in Mississauga and Brampton have been licensed to sell alcohol come Sept. 5. The map also includes grocery stores that have been licensed — some of which may already be selling alcohol or will be able to do so come Oct. 31 when more grocery stores are permitted. The data is as of Aug. 26, and more locations may be added: