Distillery in Sudbury, Ont., sees more customers because of the LCBO strike

A distillery in Sudbury, Ont., says it's had more foot traffic at its storefront since LCBO workers went on strike last Friday.

"We're seeing a lot of new faces here," said Corissa Blaseg, general manager of Crosscut Distillery.

"But we are in full support of LCBO and we're eager for them to come to an agreement so that we can continue to support our friends and our local community."

LCBO workers walked off the job in opposition to the province's plans to expand alcohol sales to convenience stores.

The stores would be able to carry wine, beer, cider and premixed canned spirit drinks. But they would not be able to sell bottles of vodka, gin, whisky or other spirits.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents the striking workers, says it doesn't want ready-to-drink cocktails sold outside LCBO stores. It also wants the province to guarantee workers' jobs, as well as wage increases, and more permanent rather than part-time positions.

With LCBO storefronts closed due to the strike, Ontarians can only purchase bottles of spirits directly from distilleries like Crosscut, or by ordering from the LCBO online.

While in-person visits to their storefront are up, Blaseg said the LCBO represents between 15 and 25 per cent of Crosscut's revenues, depending on the time of year.

Bigger impact in small community

For the Rheault distillery, in the small northern Ontario town of Hearst, the strike has been more difficult to weather.

Co-owner Mireille Morin said the LCBO accounts for between 30 and 40 per cent of their sales.

"The LCBO is our ambassador for our staple product, which is our Loon Vodka," she said.

Because Hearst is a smaller community of around 5,000 people, Morin said they can't depend on more visits to their storefront in the same way as distilleries in larger cities.

"We are very far away and that's why I said that for us the LCBO is a key factor in the success of our business."

Morin said Hearst is a six-hour drive from larger northern Ontario cities like North Bay and Sault Ste. Marie, and a 10-hour drive from Toronto.

As for the ongoing strike, "I just hope it gets settled soon," she said.