Toronto brewers say they won't sell their beer for a buck

When Doug Ford's PC party ran a campaign with basically no platform during the recent provincial election, one of their only promises was to lower the price of beer to a buck. A seemingly trivial platform issue is shaping up to be quite the political debate. 

Some breweries are starting to come out against the buck-a-beer initiative, stating they refuse to lower their prices.

@GreatLakesBeer on why they won't participate in the Buck-a-Beer challenge that the Premier will announce tomorrow. #onpoli pic.twitter.com/j0Ji9rN9wi

— Colin D'Mello CTV (@ColinDMello) August 6, 2018

Many are protesting that the government is funding $1 beers when the funding should be directed to better places: mental health initiatives, environmental issues, and the basic income pilot―all of which have been cut by the new government. 

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

While Barley Days Brewery (which was conveniently featured in an official statement video posted on Ford's Twitter account) says they will be offering a new brew that sells for $1, other breweries are not down with the controversial policy. 

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

Great Lakes Brewery has announced on Twitter that they will not be participating in the program, stating that they do not see the advantage of lowering quality and devaluing their product. 

Join me in boycotting breweries who take government hand outs to sell cheap beer when @fordnation is cutting education, mental health services, clean energy, government accountability and oversight, and just plain decency. #onpoli https://t.co/p08c1SPZQw

— Cory Judson (@CoryJudson) August 5, 2018

The provincial government has held firm that there will be no punishments for those who do not participate.

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

They have also said that there will be no financial advantage (ie. subsidies) to those who do participate, but that LCBO stores will offer small incentives like free advertising or premium shelf placement.  

Is $1 beer really a priority for this government? Why? Is it because you have to be drunk to support them? I don’t get it.

— Heather Burch (@hburch73) August 6, 2018

The PCs say buck-a-beer will be implemented in the province by the time Labour Day arrives.