Celebration time. Beer and wine will become a fixture at major Ontario supermarkets under a new plan devised by the Liberals. According to a report from the Star, hundreds of grocery stores would be granted licences to sell beer and wine, though the latter might not be quite as widespread due to a cap on the number of licences available to issue.

Hard liquor would still be restricted to the LCBO, but the Beer Store might be in store for a major hit in the form of franchise fees in addition to the added competition of more widespread availability of beer in this province. The fees would be designed to create a level playing field given the retailer's dominant position in the market.

The Star report notes that high level executives from grocery chains have consulted with the government's committee, including Loblaw Executive Chairman Galen Weston Jr. In other words, this all sounds very advanced. New regulations for the sale of alcohol in Ontario are expected to be the centrepiece of the Liberal's spring budget.

No word about the sale of beer and wine in corner stores, but this would certainly represent progress in this slow-to-change province.