Wawa-news.com You can't hear the 'big picture'!
October 17, 2025
The Beer Store
Corporate Office | 2258 Coleraine Drive
Bolton, ON L7E 3A9
Attention: Roy Benin
Dear Mr. Benin.
The closing of The Beer Store is the final nail in the coffin for those of us in the town of Wawa who are interested in our environment and recycling. I am not a consumer of alcohol, but since 1992, I have picked up the sad, abandoned packaging others have thrown out on the sides of our roads.
As a volunteer, I have cleaned our outdoors of trash by the truckloads and most of it was made up of beer and wine containers. Having a European background and knowing that even pop cans have a deposit of 10 cents on them there, it is with tears in my eyes that I see the loss of a place to turn in recyclables.
I fought the bureaucracy, wrote to companies and ministers about the abuse of our environment and the renewable resources until finally a deposit was established here in Ontario. The program encourages people to turn in their recyclables rather than putting them in the landfill and the pennies add up.
Here in the north, we live in an “untouched” wilderness and try to promote this for tourism, hunting, and fishing. Often, one of the first stops in town is The Beer Store.
Why is this now closed when the nearest store is over 200 km away and there is now no place to accept the empties? Our grocery store had beer and wine when that program was first introduced, but has now cut back as they don’t want to accept the recyclables. The one convenience store is also not set up for recyclables and doesn’t carry the selection of products that The Beer Store did.
So, while it is still possible to purchase a limited selection in our town, the loss of the recycling program affects us deeply. Many organizations, such a skating clubs, hockey teams, Boy Scouts/Girl Guides and even retirees profit from the deposit through bottle drives. These assist the community and keep our outdoors clean to benefit the environment as well. Cans and bottles do not disintegrate in the outdoors. To the contrary, broken glass hurts people and wildlife both.
Why are we going backwards on this important recycling project? Why are we in the North forgotten. We will be drowning in beer cans without a recycling program. What is the solution? Please find one as it is you and this government that have made these changes.
Sincerely,
Karin Grundt, Garbologist
P.O. Box 1430
Wawa, ON POS 1KO
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