Costco locations in Ontario will join hundreds of other grocery and big box stores that can begin selling wine and beer this Thursday.

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) confirmed to CTV News Toronto in an email that as of October 29, at least 412 new grocery licenses had been issued – in addition to the 450 existing stores that were already selling alcohol under a label. prior agreement.

According to publicly available data from the AGCO, at least 41 of these stores include all Costco stores in Ontario, meaning the U.S. wholesaler can start selling ready-to-drink beer, cider, wine and cocktails. from October 31.

Thursday’s milestone marks the final step in Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s alcohol sales expansion plan, which has allowed licensed convenience stores to sell alcohol since September 5. Before that, on August 1, previously licensed grocery stores were given the green light to sell alcoholic beverages. -drinks and beers in large packages, including 30 packs.

While it’s unclear whether Costco will begin selling alcohol as soon as it can, the AGCO notes that there are restrictions for single containers, meaning the wholesaler won’t be able to offer anything more than any other convenience store, grocery store or big box store. .

For example, the AGCO’s Licensing Obligations Guide states that a single container of beer, wine or ready-to-drink beverage should not exceed 5 liters. Additionally, Costco, like all licensed stores, cannot sell any product containing more than 18 percent alcohol.

AGCO data also shows that nearly 4,750 convenience stores have committed to selling alcohol since sales opened in September.