Foreign military personnel are entitled to half-price booze at the LCBO, the Star has learned.

It’s the latest revelation on the Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s little-known discount programs.

According to LCBO records, some 181 officers and enlisted men and women from other countries on official duty in Canada can walk into specific locations and pay 49 per cent of what everyone else in Ontario does.

Ken Rubin, an Ottawa-based investigative researcher and a leading access-to-information activist, obtained details on the discount through provincial freedom-of-information legislation and shared them with the Star.

The documents show that over a six-year period beginning 2007-08, foreign military personnel assigned to temporary duties in Canada saved almost $850,000 from their booze purchases, which was lost revenue for the LCBO and, in turn, less money for the province.

“LCBO is obligated to provide the discount, pursuant to the Visiting Forces and Visiting Forces Personnel Alcoholic Beverages Remission Order, a regulation under the Federal government’s Administration Act,” the LCBO stated in an email to the Star.

The rules, however, appear to vary according to jurisdiction.

British Columbia, for example, offers what it calls a “comparable” discount. But BC Liquor Distribution Branch spokeswoman April Kemick said “the reduced rate for visiting military personnel is applied very rarely in B.C.

“Last year, there were only 13 customers that placed orders under this reduced rate,” she added.

And discounts don’t apply everywhere. Renaud Dugas, a spokesperson for the Société des alcools du Québec, said there is no such discount on alcohol for visiting military personnel at that province’s government-owned liquor stores.

Ontario’s deal for military personnel is the same kind of discount enjoyed by embassies and consulates as reported in the Toronto Star earlier this month. Over the past couple of years diplomatic consumption has cost the LCBO $1.4 million in lost revenue.

The LCBO has refused the Star’s application requesting access to details of alcohol purchases made by individual embassies, consulates, consular posts and/or their agent, including what was purchased and the specific costs.

Finance Minister Charles Sousa said the whopping discounts on booze in a cash-strapped province raise some red flags for him.

“The federal government obligates the LCBO to provide the discount . . . but we are asking the questions (of the requirement) as well,” Sousa said, adding he will be looking into what other jurisdictions do.

The Star learned that military personnel attached to NATO in Belgium, for example, do not pay Belgium income tax and are forgiven the tax on alcohol when they buy their booze at base “rationed items” stores.

NDP Leader Andrea Horwath said it is difficult to understand how the LCBO can hand out discounts to some groups or individuals visiting Canada while Ontario taxpayers pay full freight.

“The government is doing a review of the LCBO . . . to get more value out of the LCBO so this is one of those things that needs to be looked at. These are the kinds of giveaways that really don’t add that much value,” Horwath said.

The LCBO, however, defended the practice of offering the discounts to both military and diplomatic personnel, saying they are only abiding by federal or international statutes.

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“Based on federal legislation and international agreements that have been in place for decades, the LCBO does have a separate pricing structure for NATO personnel and embassies that does allow them to purchase alcohol at a rate that is less than retail customers,” the LCBO stated in a letter to Rubin.

While the LCBO call it a NATO liquor permit, it actually applies to all visiting military personnel.

Under the federal regulation “visiting forces personnel” means any member of visiting forces who is the holder of an authorized identification card issued by the Minister of National Defence and who is present in Canada on official duty. It does not include members on duty at a diplomatic mission.

Canadian Forces Lt.-Col Jay Janzen, attached to NATO headquarters in Belgium, told the Star there are no NATO staff in Canada, but explained that foreign armed forces personnel are often incorrectly described as being from NATO — in most cases because they originate from one of the 28 NATO member countries.

LCBO noted the discounted purchases are subject to a monthly limit. It can range as high as 36 bottles of wine alone a month.

“These purchases are subject to quantity limits which are based on rank and NATO cardholders are allowed one purchase per month tax-free at the store designated on their permit,” LCBO spokeswoman Genevieve Tomney said in an email.

The following are the monthly entitlements at 49 per cent of list price for those with so-called NATO permits:

An officer can purchase 9,120 millilitres of spirits, 27,360 ml of wine and 288 bottles of beer.

A warrant officer/sergeant can buy 4,560 ml of spirits, 13,680 ml of wine and 144 bottles of beer.

A corporal can buy 2,280 ml of spirits, 6,840 ml of wine and 72 bottles of beer.

“NATO permits are valid for one fiscal year and an annual administration fee is required before each card is issued. When NATO personnel are no longer stationed in Ontario they are required to return the card to LCBO,” Tomney said.

The current number of NATO personnel currently authorized to make a purchase is 181, but the number has been over 200 in past years.

The LCBO and Sousa stressed that the booze discount is not available to any person working for federal, provincial or municipal governments.