The Canadian market is made up of 10 Provinces and three Territories. The Canadian retail or off-premise business for spirits, wines and beer, is controlled by provincial liquor boards, which operate their own stores. The exception is the province of Alberta, which is privatized with more than 2,000 independent and chain retailers.
The bulk of Canada's business is concentrated in four markets, of which Ontario is the largest, followed by British Columbia, Alberta and Quebec. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario is the largest purchaser of beverage alcohol in the world. The provincial monopolies control approximately 1,500 government liquor stores, 850 private retail stores, along with 1,000 agency or franchise stores in rural areas.
There are more than 30,000 independent and chain hotels, restaurants, bars, night clubs and pubs in Canada. The Quebec market includes over 12,000 independent corner grocery stores that sell beer and wine, while Ontario supports a brewers retail system called The Beer Store (TBS). TBS is owned by the largest three brewers and operates 450 stores. The duty free business is concentrated in 10 international airports and 36 stores along the U.S. border.