The city intends on doing away with the required 500-metre minimum distance between liquor stores in downtown Edmonton.
The area would cover 121 Street in the west, to 97 Street in the east, along a band that covers Jasper Avenue north to 104 Avenue with a couple of other exceptions.
The move is being made because “there is no capacity for new liquor stores in the downtown and Oliver neighbourhoods,” according to a report released Thursday that will be voted on at next week’s urban planning committee meeting.
It’s not the first time the bylaw covering liquor sales has been altered. The most recent change was made without much fuss.
“Certainly when there was a variance granted in the Ice District, there was some discussion about it, but I don’t think there’s a strong opinion either way,” said Ian O’Donnell, the executive director of the Downtown Business Association. “I think it’s more about the operation and the operator rather than the type of business.”
Councillor Scott McKeen agrees that the only concern is if sketchy retailers skirt the rules by selling individual beers to vulnerable people. He wants to make sure police and the AGLC are aware of the changes.
“I want them to compete on the quality of the venue, the quality of the service, price — that’s what I’ve always thought,” McKeen said. “It’s the way they operate that is the concern, but we have to get at that in different ways and a lot of that is provincial regulation.”
McKeen said when the Ice District change was voted on by city council, higher-end retailers like deVine Wines on 104 Street raised concerns that because of the low margins in the industry, they didn’t want to be restricted and not able to relocate if the cost of their lease suddenly went up.
READ MORE: Minimum distance booze rule dropped in downtown Edmonton at request of Katz Group
McKeen also said the change will help encourage more retail business at night in Oliver and downtown.
“You want to be able to have people walk to get a bottle of wine, or a six-pack of beer or something,” he said. “I think that’s a really good thing and not forcing them in their car, if they’ve already consumed some too.
“I think there’s actually benefits to this and some competition in that realm, I think, would be a good thing.”
The proposed bylaw change will also remove the distinction between major and minor alcohol sales by consolidating them into one use classification.
READ MORE: Expect to see more suburban liquor stores in Edmonton after court ruling
Watch below: (From January 2018) The City of Edmonton is looking to see if liquor rules need to be updated, particularly when it comes to the distance between them. Vinesh Pratap looks at what’s driving the debate.
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