With nearly 700 LCBO stores shuttered since Friday, independent bar and small restaurant owners throughout the province are struggling to get their hands on essential liquor products for their customers. 

The liquor retailer originally planned to implement a temporary solution to service affected businesses during the strike, including opening five stores in key locations for in-store shopping on Wednesday, July 10. 

However, in a statement made on Monday, the LCBO announced that it would be scrapping this plan "in light of OPSEU threats to picket these locations," leading them to offer an alternative online experience for small orders, details of which would be shared directly with licensees. 

Still, Restaurants Canada CEO Kelly Higginson told the Star that restaurants and bars attempting to shop from the LCBO's wholesale website during the strike have been left disappointed. 

Why LCBO workers just went on strike and how long stores could remain closed https://t.co/afXXIqYqDz

— blogTO (@blogTO) July 5, 2024

"They're struggling to get alcohol. The LCBO said there were going to be 168 different (products) available for wholesale, but, in fact, at this point, there are maybe 30," Higginson told the Star. 

She added that the liquor retailer's first strike in history has been especially difficult on the bar and restaurant industry, which is still struggling to recover after years of lockdowns, with most relying on the summer patio season to bring in lots of revenue. 

"Our priority is to help ensure that our products remain accessible to our customers. We regret the impact of OPSEU's strike on small local businesses trying to shop with us," the LCBO wrote in a statement. 

The LCBO now allows small bar and restaurant owners to order on the same website open to regular customers, with a limit of two spirit bottles per order. However, this solution still isn't feasible for some local businesses, who must wait several business days for their order to arrive. 

"It's not realistic to be able to supply our entire industry with what we need. … The volume just isn't available. The availability isn't there," Higginson told the Star. 

On Friday, over 9,000 LCBO employees walked off the job after the crown corporation and the union representing the workers — Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) — failed to reach a deal. 

The retailer's employees have a number of demands geared toward the provincial government, most of which surround the latter's plans to open up liquor sales to privately owned businesses, including convenience stores, which the union says will negatively impact LCBO revenue and lead to job loss. 

LCBO employees are also asking for better job security, pay, and benefits. A news release from OPSEU on Thursday said that 70 per cent of the retailer's workers are casual, meaning they don't have guaranteed hours with limited opportunities to move into permanent part-time and full-time positions. 

Anger after Doug Ford promotes map to find alcohol in Ontario during LCBO strike https://t.co/Rn1hApl1nK

— blogTO (@blogTO) July 8, 2024

In the meantime, the Ford government has launched an interactive map for Ontario residents to find nearby stores where they can purchase alcohol during the LCBO strike — a move that has been met with heated criticism.

All LCBO retail locations will remain closed for 14 days. On July 19, limited LCBO retail stores will open for in-store shopping and operate three days a week (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) with limited hours in effect.