SASKATOON – Private liquor stores in Saskatoon are one step closer to reality.
The province announced today that Saskatoon Co-op has been awarded a store for its Blairmore location which is expected to open during the winter of 2013-14.
The second store will be run at Sobeys Stonebridge location once it opens in the summer of 2014.
“Both the Co-op and Sobeys are already well known retailers in Saskatoon,” said Donna Haupauer, the minister responsible for Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, in making the announcement.
“We look forward to our new partnerships with them as we expand the province’s liquor retail system into these growing neighbourhoods.”
The decision to go with the retail giants was made after Deloitte conducted an open request for proposals on behalf of the government.
Proposals were then evaluated based on the business plan, site proposal, financial capacity, business qualifications and project schedule.
Co-op currently operates 36 liquor stores in Alberta and at 24 smaller Co-ops in rural Saskatchewan.
Sobeys also has a long history as a liquor retailer in Alberta.
The move to private liquor stores by the province has drawn criticism. The Saskatchewan Government and General Employees Union says private liquor stores are more likely to sell to minors and says it’s fair to conclude there will be more deaths from traffic accidents, alcohol poisoning, homicides and suicides.
SGEU has also raised concerns allowing private liquor stores will erode the public system however Premier Brad Wall has said existing public stores would not be privatized.
There are currently 79 public liquor stores in Saskatchewan, 185 businesses that operate as rural liquor franchises and approximately 440 private off-sale locations.
The last SLGA store to open in Saskatoon was the University Heights location in 2006.
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