Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s plan to expand alcohol sales to cost $1.4-billion, financial watchdog says

Ontario’s financial watchdog says the provincial government’s move last year to expand alcohol sales outlets and accelerate the introduction of beer, wine and some other alcoholic beverages into corner stores and other retailers will cost taxpayers $1.4-billion.The figure, released in a report by the province’s independent Financial Accountability Office, is much higher than the numbers the government disclosed last year, which said the deal required payments of up to $225-million for the brewery-owned Beer Store chain, plus an unknown amount in fee rebates and other costs.