AGCO moves to immediately halt liquor sales at Club 88 in St. Catharines

TORONTO, June 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) announced that it has issued a Notice of Proposal to revoke the liquor licence for Motif Inc., operating as Club 88 in St. Catharines. The AGCO has also issued an order to immediately suspend their licence, halting liquor sales effective Friday, June 20.

This enforcement action follows a shooting incident inside the establishment that occurred in April 2025, during which a 16-year-old sustained non-life-threatening wounds. While Niagara Police have made criminal arrests in connection with the incident, the AGCO also initiated its own regulatory investigation.

Despite repeated attempts to confirm the identities of those involved in the club's ownership and operations, investigators encountered a prolonged pattern of inconsistent and contradictory information regarding the ownership, shareholders, officers, and directors of Motif Inc.

This lack of transparency jeopardizes public safety and compromises the integrity of Ontario's regulated alcohol sector. The Order of Immediate Suspension and Notice of Proposal to revoke the licence are necessary steps to protect the public interest and compel accountability.

An establishment served with an Order of Immediate Suspension or Notice of Proposal to revoke a licence has the right to appeal the Registrar's action within 15 days to the Licence Appeal Tribunal (LAT), an adjudicative tribunal that is part of Tribunals Ontario and independent of the AGCO.  

Quote:

"Honesty and transparency are absolute requirements for those who hold a liquor licence in Ontario. When ownership is hidden, accountability disappears, putting public safety at risk. We will always act decisively to uphold the integrity of licensees and protect Ontarians.”

- Dr. Karin Schnarr, Chief Executive Officer and Registrar, AGCO

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ABOUT THE AGCO

The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) is an Ontario provincial regulatory agency reporting to the Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG). It is a corporation under the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario Act, 2019.