Thunder Bay·Map

Northwestern Ontario corner stores can start selling alcohol Thursday as new provincial rules kick in

Sixty-five grocery and convenience stores in northwestern Ontario are licensed to sell alcohol as new liberalized rules come into effect Thursday. To find the one closest to you, use the following CBC News interactive map.

CBC News has compiled a map and list of the 65 licensed stores in the northwest

Premier Doug Ford is pictured during a news conference announcing the provincial government's plan to allow the sale of alcohol in convenience stores.
Premier Doug Ford is shown at a Circle K convenience store in Etobicoke in suburban Toronto on Dec. 14, when he announced the Ontario government's plan to allow the sale of alcohol in convenience stores, (Alex Lupul/CBC)

As of Thursday, convenience stores throughout Ontario can become licensed to sell beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails as new liberalized rules come into effect. 

Sales are allowed between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) approved over 4,000 licences ahead of the new rules, which kick in Thursday.  

The province allowed grocery stores already licensed for beer and wine sales to start selling pre-mixed cocktails and large packs of beer last month. Newly licensed grocery stores can start selling beer, wine and ready-to-drink cocktails on Oct. 31. 

CBC News has mapped 65 of the licensed stores in northwestern Ontario. 

Store with licences to sell alcohol: 

Note: Grocery store licences are marked with an asterisk as only those that currently carry beer and wine are allowed to sell alcohol as of this month. Newly licensed grocery stores will not be able to start alcohol sales until Halloween. 

Thunder Bay:

  • Ajibo Shop (606 Victoria Ave. E.).
  • Alley's Corner Variety (700 Franklin St. S.).
  • Canadian Tire Gas Bar #1391 (943 Fort William Rd.).
  • Circle K (600 Arthur St. W.).
  • Circle K (1500 South James St., Unit A).
  • Circle K (550 Beverly St.).
  • Circle K (394 Oliver Rd.).
  • Circle K (185 Cumberland St. N.).
  • Circle K (3 Balsam St.).
  • Circle K (509 Edward St. N.).
  • Circle K Convenience Store (475 Hodder Ave.).
  • Circle K # 94 (Unit A, 1500 James St. S.).
  • Circle K # 1436 (346 May St. N.).
  • Circle K # 1721 (1315 Arthur St. E.).
  • Circle K / Esso (640 Waterloo St. S.).
  • Circle K / Esso (915 Red River Rd.).
  • Circle K / Esso (1186 Dawson Rd.).
  • Dawson General Store (3130 Dawson Rd.).
  • HDL Global (635 Arthur St. W.).
  • Husky Travel Centre (1120 Alloy Dr.).
  • Kakabeka Esso (4975 Highway 11/17).
  • McDougall Fuels Esso (1120 John St. Rd.).
  • Metro* (505 Arthur St. W.).
  • Metro* (640 River St.).
  • Mobil @ No Frills (136 East Ave.).
  • Mobil Gas Bar (970 Memorial Ave.).
  • Mobil Gas Bar (1419 Oliver Rd.).
  • Real Canadian Superstore* (971 Carrick St.).
  • Safeway* (115 Arthur St. W.).
  • Safeway* (1015 Dawson Rd.).
  • Shell #C00243 (251 Arthur St. W.).
  • Shell #C00398 (888 Red River Rd.).
  • Shell #C00400 (277 Cumberland St. N.).
  • Shell #C20344 (1110 Arthur St. W.).
  • Shell #C45039 (807 Red River Rd.).
  • Shell #C45127 (914 Red River Rd.).
  • Skaf's Just Basics* (470 Hodder Ave.).
  • Walmart* (777 Memorial Ave.).

Northeast:

  • Mini Mart (56 Queen St., Armstrong Station).
  • Daneff's Food Market (108 First Ave N.W., Geraldton).
  • Esso / Snack Shop (804 Main St., Geraldton).
  • G & L Variety (83 Front St, Hornepayne).
  • Longlac Freshmart* (103 Hemal Ave., Longlac).
  • Circle K #88 (20 Peninsula Rd., Marathon).
  • Mobil @ Independent (2 Hemlo Dr., Marathon).
  • SPG Gas And Convenience (82 Peninsula Rd., Marathon).
  • Nipigon Husky Travel Center (453 Highway 11-17, Nipigon).
  • Canco/One Stop (1151 Highway 17, Terrace Bay).
  • A1 Stop (201 Hwy  17, White River).

Northwest: 

  • Atikokan Newstand (303 Main St. W., Atikokan).
  • Rockeries Marina (1 Rockeries Rd., Clearwater Bay)
  • 7-Eleven (212 Government St., Dryden).
  • Mobil (647 Government St., Dryden).
  • Safeway Dryden* (75 Whyte Ave., Dryden).
  • KD's Fine Foods* (#6-30 Spruce St., Ear Falls).
  • The Pit Stop (1317 Highway 105, Ear Falls).
  • Cloverleaf Grocery* (5970 Highway 11, Emo).
  • Safeway* (417 Scott St., Fort Frances).
  • Shell / Hr Convenience Store (311 Main St., Ignace).
  • Canadian Tire Gas #1016 (1201 Highway 17 E., Kenora).
  • Costcan Liquor (75 Park St., Kenora).
  • Safeway* (400 First Ave S., Kenora).
  • Shell #C20686 (405 Second St. S., Kenora).
  • Vannam Gas Bar O/A Mobil/Waypoint Kenora (16 Tenth Ave S., Kenora).
  • Fresh Market Foods* (79 Queen St., Sioux Lookout).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Allan is a reporter at CBC Thunder Bay. She's worked with the CBC's Investigative Unit, CBC Ottawa and ran a pop-up bureau in Kingston. She won a 2021 Canadian Association of Journalists national award for investigative reporting and was a finalist in 2023. You can reach her at michelle.allan@cbc.ca.

With files from The Canadian Press