Premier Doug Ford unveiled his buck-a-beer plan at a press conference yesterday challenging Ontario brewers to drop the price of beers to $1 by August 27.
Today we announced the return of Buck-a-Beer to Ontario, effective August 27. We’re going to put consumers first, and give breweries the opportunity to compete on price. We trust Ontarians to make their own smart, mature and responsible choices. Promise made, promise kept! pic.twitter.com/IWNBmiHtns
— Doug Ford (@fordnation) August 7, 2018
While brewers won’t be required to lower prices, they are being encouraged to do so in order to “receive LCBO promotional considerations such as limited-time discounts, in-store displays on end aisles and shelf extenders, or advertising in LCBO flyers and newspaper inserts.”
Craft breweries aren’t exactly on board.
In response to the plan, breweries across Ontario are speaking out and sharing their reasons for not participating.
Citing the costs of creating a quality product and supporting living wages for workers, these breweries have already publically opposed Ford’s buck-a-beer plan.
You definitely won’t see #FreshGLB take part in this. We believe in our brands, take pride in our quality and firmly feel that are current prices are very fair.
— Great Lakes Beer🇨🇦 (@GreatLakesBeer) August 5, 2018
Nickel Brook will not take part in the proposed “buck a beer” plan. We’ve always been about quality & don’t aim to change that now, or ever. We have no intention in joining a race to the bottom. We stand with our fellow craft brewers in opposing this gimmick by Ford.
— Nickel Brook Brewing (@NickelBrookBeer) August 7, 2018
We don’t tweet all that often, but we’ll add our two cents and say we can’t make good, decent, or even passable beer for a buck, let alone pay our rent and our guys. Even the province’s large, foreign-owned breweries don’t sell at the current floor of $1.25. #ONPoli #BuckABeer
— Shacklands Brewing (@Shacklands) August 7, 2018
We will absolutely not participate in the “buck a beer” exercise. Our beer is well made, high quality and award winning — and its price reflects that. There are a lot of things that our province needs, but “buck a beer” isn’t one of them.
— The Napanee Beer Co. (@napaneebeer) August 6, 2018
We place a high precedent on quality and freshness in our beer, and we choose to support the team of 130 that makes it all happen with @OnLivingwage. This and more mean we will not be pursuing the #BuckABeer program. https://t.co/9B3TfONfnL pic.twitter.com/JhevA6Md4H
— Muskoka Brewery (@MuskokaBrewery) August 7, 2018
BUCK-A-BEER: As an independently-owned brewery, we can tell you unequivocally that it is impossible to sell a beer for a dollar without compromising quality.
So, we’ve decided to respond… https://t.co/tElHdOTAJJ— Dominion City BrewCo (@dominioncitybc) August 8, 2018
Our brewery will not be joining this #buckabeer race to the bottom. We are committed to making a quality product that we are proud to serve and that means it will always cost more. We firmly believe that you really do get what you pay for. #qualitymatters #craftbeer
— People’s Pint (@PeoplesPintTO) August 7, 2018
We won’t be participating in #buckabeer. Our province has much bigger issues to tackle. The cancellation of the guaranteed income pilot in Lindsay will have a much greater impact on our local community.
— Bobcaygeon Brewing Co (@bobcaygeonbeer) August 8, 2018
Like every other reputable brewery in this lovely province, we take pride in producing a high quality product and our customers expect nothing less. Rainhard will never be affiliated #BuckABeer outside of talking about how stupid it is. #onpoli
— Rainhard Brewing Co. (@RainhardBrewing) August 7, 2018