Raymond, Alta., dry for more than 100 years, to consider allowing liquor sales

Alcohol is seen being poured in this file photo.

An Alberta town council is now looking at making a change to a land-use bylaw that has prevented local restaurants from serving alcohol for more than 100 years.

Raymond, Alta., a community of about 4,000 people located approximately 30 minutes south of Lethbridge, will soon be asking residents about their opinion on whether or not liquor sales should be allowed.

Due to recent changes to provincial legislation, council believes it will soon receive applications from restaurants to allow them to offer liquor sales.

The change would require an amendment to Raymond's land-use bylaw, so the community decided to engage with residents over a seven-week period.

Interested parties are encouraged to register using a link provided by council that allows them to access background information and share their thoughts, the town said.

Registrants will also be able to complete an online survey that opens on March 24 and closes on April 7. Public engagement events are also expected to be held next month.

"Please be advised that Let's Talk Raymond is the only online public engagement platform that Council will be using to help it with the decision-making process," the town wrote in a statement on its website.

"Written letters may be sent to the town office; emails may be sent to council at [e-mail]."

The nearby town of Cardston held a plebiscite on the issue in 2014, at the same time it asked about including fluoride in drinking water and allowing backyard henhouses.

The community overwhelmingly rejected the idea – 1,089 against and 347 in favour of the change.

(With files from The Canadian Press)