REGINA — The Saskatchewan government is shaking up liquor sales by selling 40 government-owned liquor stores to make them private outlets.
Don McMorris, minister for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, says the province will also add 12 new private liquor stores in various communities.
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 minister says the province should still collect the same amount of revenue because it collects money regardless of whether products are sold by a government store or a private retailer.
Premier Brad Wall has said the government won’t move ahead with the changes until after the next provincial election slated for April 2016.
He has said the Saskatchewan Party will campaign on the liquor changes and that winning the election would be receiving approval from Saskatchewan residents.
