The LCBO should take back empty bottles

This week on On The Ledge, Dave Trafford, Kathleen Wynne, and Tim Hudak dive into a true curbside controversy: the disappearance of local Beer Stores has pushed mountains of bottles into blue bins—and Ontarians want to know why the LCBO isn’t taking responsibility. With Beer Stores closing and grocery stores refusing bottle returns, residents are losing deposits, recycling systems are strained, and small retailers are being asked to handle a volume they can’t manage. 

Wynne calls the situation “unnecessary grief” caused by rushed alcohol-expansion policy with “no planning,” while Hudak argues the LCBO should be part of the solution since it distributes the majority of alcohol containers.

The conversation deepens into the broader failures of Ontario’s recycling and blue box programs, the lack of coordinated environmental strategy, and the incentives required to rebuild a functioning return system. The panel also reflects on the unintended social impacts—from people collecting bottles for survival to community bottle drives stepping in to fill the gap.

From there, the group explores the latest drama at Queen’s Park: NDP Leader Marit Stiles being ejected from the Legislature, political tactics in Question Period, and evolving public sentiment around the Skills Development Fund scandal. The episode closes with a look at proposed legislation on sex offender registry access, impaired-driving child-support obligations, and shifting conversations about public vs. private healthcare delivery.

Chapters & Timecodes
00:00 – Introduction & Opening Banter
02:00 – Ontario’s Bottle-Return Breakdown & LCBO Accountability
09:00 – Recycling System Failures, Incentives & Environmental Planning
14:00 – Social Impact: Bottle Collectors, Community Drives & Lost Deposits
15:00 – Marit Stiles Ejection, Legislature Tactics & the Skills Development Fund
34:00 – Sex Offender Registry Proposal, Impaired-Driving Liability & Healthcare Debate

TRANSCRIPT


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