The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario

For the second consecutive year, the AGCO has been selected as one of Greater Toronto’s Top Employers by the editors of Canada's Top 100 Employers. This annual designation recognizes employers for offering outstanding workplaces and best practices for their employees. This year, the AGCO was selected based on our leadership development program and our commitment to being a socially responsible organization.     We are extremely proud to achieve this distinguished honour. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gFkmnxM7

Dr. Karin Schnarr, CEO and Registrar of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) speaks at the 2024 Charitable Gaming Conference, hosted by the Commercial Gaming Association Ontario (CGAO) and the Ontario Charitable Gaming Association (OCGA).   The AGCO is committed to supporting charitable gaming across Ontario, recognizing its significant benefits to our communities.    Let's continue to make a positive impact together!

Did you know that 2 in 3 Ontarians (19+) believe that if a cannabis store is open, it must be legal? This misconception means many people are unknowingly consuming products that may contain harmful contaminants. To address this, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) and Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) have launched an engaging digital campaign to educate consumers on the benefits of choosing legal, regulated cannabis over illegal products and how to identify licensed retailers through the Cannabis Retail Seal (https://lnkd.in/gZ2NyaJc). The campaign is running across age-gated platforms like Reddit, Facebook, and Instagram until November 30, 2024, with additional outreach planned for early 2025. Along with the ad featured below, we’re offering educational resources on our website (www.buylegal.ca) to help Ontarians make informed choices. To amplify the campaign message, we’ll be opening “Buzzkill,” a pop-up event from October 17-21 at 474 Queen St. W. This immersive experience will showcase the risks associated with illegal dispensaries, highlighting products with potential contaminants and showing the signs of unlicensed operations. It's an eye-opening opportunity to understand why choosing legal cannabis is the safer, smarter option. Together, let’s promote safe, traceable, and tested legal cannabis.

Congratulations to our AGCO Board Member, Neil Desai, ICD.D on his recent appointment as Chair of Board of Directors at Solace Power.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is excited to announce Lucie Walker, CHRL, CTMP (she/her) as the agency's new Chief Human Resources Officer.

We are delighted to announce that AGCO’s Human Resources & Organizational Development (HROD) team was shortlisted for the 2024 Canadian HR Awards in the category “Canadian HR Team of The Year (500 Employees or More)”.      The HROD team is empowered and committed to being a trusted resource, creating and sustaining partnerships across the agency, and identifying processes and best practices to increase efficiency, improve candidate and employee experience while also improving existing policies and creating new programs for staff engagement and development.    Please take a moment to celebrate HROD’s honorable achievement by reaching out to your colleagues and/or sharing the news. #HRAwardsCA    View the AGCO listed as an “Excellence Awardee” on the Canadian HR Awards website here: https://ow.ly/66qF50SMBxy

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is pleased to share that Dave Forestell has been reappointed as Chair of the Board for a three-year term effective July 20, 2024, and that Alan Gertner has been appointed as a new director for a two-year term effective July 11, 2024. Read more: https://ow.ly/EOFb50SL5im

The AGCO is now accepting applications for licences to sell alcohol in Ontario grocery and convenience stores. Holding an alcohol retail licence comes with certain requirements to meet Ontario liquor sales laws. It's important to understand them. Some examples include:   • hours of sale  • product assortment and size, retail pricing  • storage requirements  • training and security obligations    Learn if you may be eligible, what your obligations are and how to apply: https://ow.ly/RvBz50SjgWK

Are you an Ontario grocery or convenience store owner interested in becoming a licensed alcohol retailer? The AGCO and the LCBO are teaming up to help eligible businesses enter the expanded beverage alcohol retail marketplace, following the Government of Ontario’s announcement of its plan to provide increased consumer choice and convenience for Ontarians.    You can watch the AGCO/LCBO webinar to learn about eligibility and legal requirements and how to apply for a licence: https://ow.ly/8VEI50Sh9jp The AGCO will begin accepting applications for liquor retail licences from convenience and grocery stores on June 17. 

Second information session added! Due to high demand, the AGCO and LCBO are offering another joint information session on June 11 at 3:30 p.m. to discuss Ontario’s alcohol retail expansion. Register here: https://ow.ly/TXve50SaMXC