Canadian Premier Dalton McGuinty announced on 10 Sept a plan to charge deposits on alcohol containers bought at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) that would have to be redeemed at beer stores beginning in February 2007. He would not say how much extra consumers would have to pay or what they will get back when they return empties. "The single most important thing that Ontarians need to know is that we have 'come out of the dark ages' when it comes to LCBO containers", McGuinty said inside a cavernous Brampton beer warehouse. "That's what they need to know and ... that it begins 1 February 2007. It's the concept here that's really important to Ontarians". McGuinty said the Beer Store already operates one of the most successful programmes in world, processing two billion beer containers a year, a 96% return rate for refillable bottles.
