Ontario increasing tax on craft beer
Buck-a-beer continues to be controversial, and it seems that it will for a while.
A policy leftover from the Liberal provincial government has ensured the tax on beer will go up November 1st, which may be a setback to Doug Ford’s buck-a-beer initiative.
The tax, increasing to about 3¢/litre, will generate revenue for the provincial government, which promised to lower the cost of beer and “the days of government putting their hand in your pocket each time you buy a two-four.”
While the page on the Ontario website has not been updated since May, the PC government has not made any comment about taxes being frozen or lowered, so for now it’s safe to assume the increase will occur as planned.
Many local breweries have refused to participate in the buck-a-beer program, as they will have to eat the costs of lowered prices for what they say is zero benefit. With a tax increase, breweries are sure to keep their prices unchanged, perhaps even raising them.
