Mac's to build 27 new, ultra-modern, $2-million stores across Ontario within two years - If it's permitted to sell beer, wine and spirits

TORONTO, Sept. 9, 2013 /CNW/ - Within two years of being granted the right to sell beer, wine and spirits at its 547 Ontario stores, Mac's Convenience Stores Inc. will build 27 new, ultra-modern, $2-million stores across the province.

The promise was made today by Mac's senior executive Tom Moher during a speech to the Toronto Region Board of Trade.

The new stores represent "$54-million of new, private investment in Ontario," said Mr.Moher, the company's Vice-President of Operations for Central Canada. "And that doesn't begin to include the millions of dollars Mac's will spend retrofitting our current stores for the sale of alcohol."

The new Mac's stores will be built in Toronto, Brampton, Grey Bruce, The Muskokas, London and Ottawa, among other locations. They'll create up to 170 new, full-time jobs, in addition to the 1,600 jobs that will be created at existing Mac's stores once the right to sell alcohol is received.

Mac's and the Ontario Convenience Stores Association are calling on the Government of Ontario to expand the province's antiquated, unfair alcohol retailing system. A survey by the Ontario Convenience Stores Association (OCSA) found that 67 per cent of Ontarians want to be able to purchase beer, wine and spirits at their local convenience store.

"Basically, the people of Ontario are telling their politicians that it's time to modernize alcohol retailing in this province," Mr. Moher told his business audience. "Some of our politicians get it. Others - not so much. That's why Mac's is making this such a public issue."

The Mac's stores to be built under an expanded alcohol retailing system would be similar to the company's gleaming retail facility in Thamesford, one of two Mac's "agency" stores in the province permitted to sell alcohol. The Thamesford store opened in December, 2012 at a cost of $3-million. (The other Mac's agency store is located in Craigleith.)

"Mac's is an experienced, responsible retailer of alcohol throughout Canada, the United States and the world," said Moher. "We're proud of our record. We're proud of our contribution to the communities we serve."

About Mac's Convenience Stores Inc.

Mac's Convenience Stores Inc. is part of Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the leader in the Canadian convenience store industry. Couche-Tard operates a network of more than 10,000 convenience stores, globally and in all 10 Canadian provinces. It has 1,941 stores in Canada. Couche-Tard is a publicly-traded Canadian company with annual revenues of $37-billion in annual revenues. Shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: ATD.A and ATD.B).

SOURCE: Mac's Convenience Stores

Jim Gray
Sussex Strategy Group
[email protected]
416.543.3857