Ever wondered if you could snag a beer at a 7-Eleven during your travels in Canada? Each province has its regulations concerning alcohol sales at convenience stores. As a Canadian, having resided in various provinces from Newfoundland to British Columbia, I’m here to break it down for you.
Most provinces in Canada do not sell beer at 7-Eleven convenience stores. Only select Ontario and Alberta 7-Eleven stores sell beer and wine, which is very recent. It’s crucial to note that there are no 7-Eleven stores east of Ontario, so you won’t find them in Quebec, New Brunswick, PEI, Newfoundland and Labrador, or Nova Scotia anyway.
Broadly, the sale of beer in Canada is under provincial and territorial jurisdiction, leading to diverse policies on where and how beer can be retailed. For the most part, alcohol is confined to regulated liquor and beer stores.
Province Breakdown of Beer at 7-Eleven Stores
- Alberta
- Beer Availability: Yes, you can now buy beer at participating 7-Eleven stores in Alberta.
- Details: With privatized alcohol retailing, beer is largely confined to private liquor stores.
- Website Info: https://7-eleven.ca/beer-and-wine-ab
- British Columbia
- Beer Availability: Beer is not sold at 7-Eleven outlets in British Columbia.
- Details: Government-operated BC Liquor Stores, private liquor stores, and some grocery stores are the primary vendors of beer.
- Manitoba
- Beer Availability: 7-Eleven stores do not retail beer.
- Details: Government-run Manitoba Liquor Marts and private beer vendors are the main beer sellers.
- Ontario
- Beer Availability: A growing number of 7-Eleven stores have started selling beer, especially with the winding down of “The Beer Store” agreement.
- Details: The province has begun allowing more outlets, beyond the traditional Beer Store and LCBOs, to retail beer. It will grow more in the coming years.
- Website Info: https://7-eleven.ca/beer-and-wine-ontario
- Saskatchewan
- Beer Availability: No beer in 7-Eleven stores.
- Details: Beer sales are mostly through a combination of government and private liquor outlets.
- Territories (Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut)
- Beer Availability: 7-Eleven stores are not a presence here, and in general, convenience stores don’t sell beer.
- Details: Each territory has its specific regulatory body that oversees beer sales, mainly via government-run stores.
For the eastern provinces where 7-Eleven doesn’t operate, it’s a moot point. However, there are similar convenience stores like Circle K, learn if Circle K sells beer in Canada here.