REGINA — The Saskatchewan government is shaking up liquor sales by selling 40 of its 75 liquor stores to make them private outlets.
Don McMorris, minister for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, says it was time to modernize how booze is sold.
"There's been 70 years of regulation protectionism built up in this system and we don't get rid of it all, but we take a very large step, first step, maybe last step, I don't know, into the future," McMorris said Wednesday.
"So we take a step kind of tearing a lot of that back and by doing that, I think we give citizens of the province more choice, more convenience and more competitive pricing."
The province will also add 12 new private liquor stores in various communities.
McMorris says the changes will also level the playing field for all stores because they will all have the same rules.
That means all stores will be able to operate between 8 a.m. and 3 a.m., can all sell any type of chilled product, and will pay a uniform wholesale price. Those rules are currently different for government-owned liquor stores, franchises in rural communities, outlets known as off-sales that have the ability to stay open late and four private stores that recently opened in Regina and Saskatoon.
A request for proposal is to be made to select new operators, but government liquor store employees are to get preferential consideration if they want to buy the store.
The overhaul to the liquor system comes after the government launched a consultation in November 2014. McMorris says people spoke up.
"People expected change. People want change, but did they want to go extreme? And that was clear. Certainly some did and some (wanted) status quo," said McMorris.
The minister also says the province should still collect the same amount of revenue because all retailers will have to buy alcohol through the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority.
It will be up to retailers to set the price for alcohol, but McMorris says he believes 99 per cent of liquor will be sold at about the same price.
The changes won't be implemented until after the provincial election in April 2016.
Premier Brad Wall has said the Saskatchewan Party will campaign on the liquor changes and that winning the election would be receiving approval from Saskatchewan residents.
