7-Eleven Canada: Celebrating 30 Years

Free Our Beer! Campaign for alcohol retailing reform

Until 2024, the alcohol retailing system in Ontario was essentially the same one established by the Ontario government 97 years before. The legislation that created the government-run LCBO, and enabled the now foreign-owned Beer Store, was passed in 1927 — the same year Al Capone was in his heyday in prohibition-era Chicago. But while much of Canada and jurisdictions around the world had modernized their alcohol retailing systems, Ontario’s remained a relic of the past.

Recognizing the opportunity for significant business growth through reform, StrategyCorp was retained by the broader convenience store industry and subsequently 7-Eleven to create the conditions for change. Change happened through a multi-year integrated public affairs campaign across multiple governments that leveraged public relations, data-driven research, grassroots advocacy, and government relations to unlock market access for retailers.

The campaign kicked-off by eliminating an often-cited myth – that convenience stores did a poor job checking for age. An independent mystery shopper test demonstrated the opposite: convenience stores had the highest compliance rates for age-restricted sales—outperforming the LCBO and The Beer Store. This data-driven insight reframed the conversation, dismantling a core opposition argument and setting the foundation for broader public engagement.

Validating the economic rationale for reform occurred through economic studies commissioned from the University of Waterloo demonstrating that an expanded retail model would drive increased government revenue and not lead to crime.

Public relations efforts over successive years made convenience store alcohol retailing a regular discussion in the media and online. News discussion with an advertising value equivalent of well over $30 million, coupled with a record-breaking grassroots petition drive that gathered 420,000 signatures, raised the pressure for change on politicians and built momentum for regulatory reform.

StrategyCorp also worked closely with 7-Eleven’s legal team to devise a strategy to jumpstart access to alcohol in convenience stores by obtaining convenience retailer restaurant licences which enabled 7-Eleven to be first to market in this space.

The overall campaign’s success forced industry incumbents into defensive positions, prompting The Beer Store to launch a multimillion-dollar counter-campaign. However, the case for reform was already well established and the dominos began to fall. After 15 years of sustained advocacy, the Ontario government agreed to expand alcohol sales to convenience stores, with implementation in September 2024.

This achievement underscores the power of integrated strategic public affairs. By aligning data, policy expertise, and public engagement, the entrenched interests were successfully challenged, leading to the creation of a more open and competitive market for Ontario consumers and 7-Eleven Canada.