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Beer prices across Canada

BeerI stumbled across a link on the CBC website where a reporter from Calgary had called a number of liquor stores across Canada to find out the price of a dozen Labatt Blue. The Beer Facts  indicates that the price in Ottawa is among the lowest (Yippee!). It’s sort of surprising to see that Ottawa came in with the third lowest price for a dozen Labatt Blue. Around here many people will make the short drive across the river to La Belle Provence to pick up a couple cases from the local dépanneur. I hear the King of Beer (Le Roi des Bières) in Aylmer is the place to go. ;)

If I remember correctly, Blue is considered a “local” brand across Canada so it doesn’t get nailed with the “premium” beer costs. Beers like Keith’s (my personal favorite) cost more here in Ottawa as it’s classified as an import since it’s trucked in from Nova Scotia.

Now, it strikes me as odd that the reporter would call a bunch of stores in different provinces yet leave out 2 provinces and 2 territories. Why not make those extra 4 phone calls and have a sample of pricing from each province and territory?

Updated: The original “The Beer Facts” article is no longer available but I was able to track down the prices it referenced:

Vancouver:   $24.70
Calgary:     $24.99
Regina:      $24.50
Winnipeg:    $19.25
Ottawa:      $20.50
Montreal:    $19.49
Halifax:     $20.99
St. John's:  $22.25
Yellowknife: $26.90

Image credit – DeusXFlorida

9 thoughts on “Beer prices across Canada”

  1. What were the provinces and territories excluded? I know that beer in Quebec is less expensive than Ontario because there is open market competition instead of the crooked Beer Store.

    1. New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island were both excluded as were the Yukon and Nunavut.

      I still find it strange that Montreal is only a buck less than Ottawa. It must be all of the extras (deposit & taxes) that make the beer so much more here in Ottawa than across the creek in Aylmer.

  2. You Canadians are getting screwed! Why are your beer prices so high? Who is taking you for a ride? Here in Tennessee (U.S.), I can get a 6-pack of Labatt Blue for $ 5.69 USD or 12 for $ 11.38. Add 9% sales tax. That’s almost half of what you pay in Ottawa. Proves you Canadians are suckers sans pareil.

    1. Sorry, Dale, but your comment makes no sense. The Labatt Blue that they sell in the US is the absolute same beer that you drink in Canada.

  3. Fred, it is taxes. 52% or somewhere around that. Yes, we may be suckers, but won’t lose our house when we get sick like in the US. BTW, I make my own so my beer is way cheaper than from your state. $8.40 a case of 24, beat that Fred.

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