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MPP Michael Mantha questions government spending $225 million on expanding alcohol sales

Today during question period Algoma-Manitoulin MPP, Michael Mantha, questioned the Premier on his government’s plan to spend millions of dollars to end the Master Framework Agreement (MFA) with the Beer Store a year early.

 

“Last week the Premier announced that he will spend $225 million to speed up allowing alcohol sales in convenience stores and gas stations.” Mantha said. “Meanwhile, in Northern Ontario we continue to see opioid related deaths rise, but the government refuses to fund new supervised consumption sites.”

 

Mantha pointed out that Northern Ontario has experienced three times the number of deaths from opioids compared to the rest of Ontario.

 

The MFA was set to expire by December 2025; however, the government has decided to buy its way out of the agreement early by promising millions of dollars in support to the Beer Store.

 

“When I speak with people in my riding, they don’t want to know what the government is doing about the 5-minute wait at the LCBO, they want to know what’s being done about the 5-hour wait at the ER.” Mantha said.

 

Mantha is calling on the government to reevaluate its spending priorities and focus on more pressing issues such as worsening healthcare and the opioid crisis in Northern Ontario.

Michael Mantha
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