Province scraps LCBO controlled-entrance pilot program at six Northern Ontario stores

A plan to ask customers to show identification before being allowed to enter six LCBO stores in Northern Ontario is being scrapped immediately after “serious concerns” arose, says a spokesperson for the province’s Minister of Finance.

On Feb. 13, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario announced the launch of a 12-month pilot project that would have required any customer who appeared to be at least 17 years of age to present photo identification to security before being allowed to enter four of its stores in Thunder Bay as well as one each in Kenora and Sioux Lookout.

The government-owned corporation said that IDs would then been scanned to ensure they were legitimate and valid.

But less than a day after being announced, a spokesperson for MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy said that the program is being called off.

“Over the past 24 hours, I have heard serious concerns about the LCBO’s newly announced pilot program. I’ve directed the LCBO to cancel it immediately,” Colin Blachar said in a written statement provided to CTV News Toronto. “Where there are safety concerns, LCBO will continue to work with its community partners to explore alternatives to ensure the safety of its customers and employees.”

The LCBO previously said that the pilot program was being launched in an effort to combat retail theft.

It also said that the locations were chosen because their “contained geography allows us to measure the effectiveness of the controlled entrances without the transference of theft to other stores.”

The government has not said exactly why the program is being cancelled, but in a statement provided to CP24.com the executive director of the Canadian Civil Liberties Association said that they viewed it “as a sweeping violation of individual privacy.”

“They had planned mass data collection of every adult that entered certain LCBO stores – and all that data would get turned over to police in the event of an incident in that store,” Noa Mendelsohn Aviv said.

For is part, the LCBO said in a statement that it remains committed to “working collaboratively on additional measures to reduce shop theft and violent incidents in our stores and to ensuring safe experiences for our customers and employees.”