My bet is that after a few months the will have a hard time finding any brewer interested in this.
My bet is that there will likely be no companies participating for Labour Day. Why would they? What do they have to gain?
1. Ontario already has one of the lowest prices for beer in Canada. The average price of a 2-4 in 2015 being $33.31 (vs $33.86 in QC, $38.11 in AB, $40.39 in BC).
2. The only companies that might afford to do so are the big three (AB InBev, Molson-Coors and Sapporo), and they fully understand the tribalism that runs deep in suburban and rural beer drinkers. How many people reading this know of at least one dog named "Labatt" or "Molson"? I've known a few, and grew up in the heart of conservative Ontario (Orangeville). Those companies can maybe make a few nickels on a 24-pack of beer if they sell at $1/beer at today's costs. That's not gonna happen selling their flagship brands, as cheaping out on those means potentially doing a lot of brand damage. So they'll be special "one off" brands, that likely won't make big gains. Is it worth it creating new branding and promotion for a low-end product that's likely to fail and only sell to alcoholics?
3. The market isn't right for this. It's a time when the big 3 are fighting against the rise of Craft beer, Radler and Cider. So, yet another reason to try not to compete. It's a market that wants premium product, not cheap product.
4. The above all said, the "premium placement" Doug is offering is likely at the LCBO only. The province doesn't have that much control over the Beer Store. And the LCBO can't sell 12- or 24 packs, only 8 packs or less (usually 6-packs). So, someone wanting a 2-4 of buck-a-beer is gonna have to go to the Beer Store, where Doug's promotional help means nothing. Most Beer Stores keep product in the back anyhow. Those that have product on the floor are under agreement with the province to give fair share and placement to craft breweries; and I don't see Doug being *that stupid* to eschew local breweries for the foreign-owned big 3. It would backfire spectacularly. But then again, it's Doug.
5. This is the worst time to try this. Labour Day is a big one for alcohol purchases. The Big 3 are gonna push their product with the biggest margins, not the lowest. And a larger share of the beer purchases will be made in 12/24 packs. A 2-4 of Labatt's Blue on sale will still make more money than 24 $1 beers, guaranteed.
Doug Ford—who doesn't do market research, costs-benefits analyses or even bothers to think things through. And the GTA believes he's a great businessman capable of handling billions in provincial money? Pffft.