Liquor sales are a possibility in Alberta grocery stores, but expect pushback
Alberta's alcohol industry is pushing back against a provincial government consideration to allow liquor sales in grocery and convenience stores.
Service Alberta Minister Dale Nally said last week a panel of MLAs has been exploring the idea since December.
His office says it has already consulted with Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), warehouses, current retailers, grocery and convenience store operators, producers and responsible-use advocates Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA).
"We heard about some innovative things that Ontario is doing, getting liquor on the grocery shore shelves, and I wouldn't be doing my job as the minister if we didn't take a look at it," Nally said.
That "innovative" move out east will see Ontario's government allow sales of beer, wine, coolers and seltzers at select supermarkets and convenience stores in 2026.
Ontario’s alcohol sales are largely done through government-operated retailers, whereas Alberta's industry has been privatized for decades.
Many in Alberta's alcohol industry say the change could prove disastrous.
"There's no need for another point of sale for liquor," Alberta Liquor Store Association president Ivonne Martinez said.
"I've never received a phone call saying, 'I cannot get liquor in enough places, please open up more points of sale.' It has just never happened."
Martinez tells CTV News a large chunk of Alberta's 1,700 independently-owned stores would be hit hard by the new competition.
"Small businesses already have very little margin to work with, so even a 10 per cent decrease in sales would be devastating," she said. "Nobody is asking for this. So why try to fix a problem that is not broken?"
The owner of Wise Guys Liquor in northeast Calgary agrees.
"I'm in a week-by-week situation," Sean Semark said. "I buy what we need and make sure we turn a profit every week. That's my business model, compared to the big guys, who have almost unlimited purchasing power."
Nally made a point of emphasizing that no final decisions have been made.
In fact, the minister said he's still waiting on the panel's report before commenting again.
He says that could come in "weeks or months."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
BREAKING Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
Former South Dakota mayor charged with triple homicide
Three people were shot to death in a small South Dakota town, and a former law officer who once served as the town's mayor is charged in the killings.
Widespread theft costing Canada's retail industry dearly: experts
The Retail Council of Canada wants to put a stop to widespread theft within the retail industry, and industry leaders are meeting this week to find solutions.
Debunking the 'anti-sunscreen' movement: Doctors say TikTok trend is dangerous
Dermatologists are sounding the alarm about misinformation from the anti-sunscreen movement, saying not wearing sunscreen can cause cancer and other problems.
Records detail Brampton councillor's standoff with city over derelict property
A derelict property connected to a Brampton city councillor racked up $12,500 in fines in dozens of penalty notices over several months as city officials warned it was becoming a haven for rats and a homeless encampment, records obtained by CTV News show.