LCBO launches pilot requiring ID before entering Ontario stores

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) says it’s launching a new pilot program requiring customers who appear 17 and older to present a government identification before entering specific stores.

The “controlled entrances pilot” will be introduced at six LCBO locations in Thunder Bay, Sioux Lookout and Kenora. An LCBO spokesperson said the outcomes will be monitored over 12 months, and stores will keep shoppers’ personal information for 14 days.

The LCBO said the customer’s information is only accessed if there is an incident requiring investigation, and it is not linked to any other system, sold or used for marketing purposes. 

The program was initiated due to what the LCBO called a rise in theft and violent incidents in the retail industry, which it says poses a safety risk for employees and customers working and shopping in stores.

“It is a burden on police services, and it impacts our business and ability to give back to Ontarians,” a company spokesperson wrote in a news release.

The Northern Ontario locations were selected because of their “contained geography,” which the LCBO says will allow them to measure the effectiveness of the pilot without the transference of theft to other stores.

How the pilot works

The LCBO says customers must present government-issued photo identification to security personnel at the entrance before being welcomed into the store.

Photo IDs will be scanned to ensure they are legitimate and valid and to confirm that the customer is of legal drinking age (if unaccompanied by an adult) and has not been involved in any prior in-store incidents. Only one customer can enter the LCBO store at a time. 

The customer will not be allowed into the LCBO if those requirements are unmet.

The LCBO said a decision had not been made to make the controlled entrances permanent in pilot locations or expand them to other areas.  

The following valid, non-expired prescribed photo ID will be accepted by the LCBO:

• Ontario Driver’s Licence with a photograph
• Ontario Photo Card
• Canadian Citizenship Card with a photograph
• Canadian Passport
• Canadian Forces Identification Card
• Permanent Resident Card
• Secure Certificate of Indian Status Card
• Out of Province/Country Photo ID if it includes a photograph of the person, states their date of birth, and reasonably appears to have been issued by a government

Without a valid ID, the customer won’t be able to enter any LCBO-controlled entrance.

“Providing exceptional customer and employee experiences is a top priority, so our goal is to make this new process quick and easy,” said John Summers, the LCBO’s Chief Retail Officer.

“While it may add a few extra minutes to our customers’ visit, we trust that this is a small inconvenience for a safer and more enjoyable shopping experience.”

The LCBO says multiple measures are in place to deter theft, and piloting controlled entrances will allow the crown corporation to explore a different way to create a “safer experience in our stores for both employees and customers.”

According to the Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries (MBLL), it implemented controlled entrances in 2020. Their website references plummeting theft and positive feedback from customers and employees.