REGINA, SK – The Government of Saskatchewan has announced legislative changes that will allow it to move forward with plans to privatize a large portion of the province’s liquor stores.
Bill 1 from the recently elected government is a proposal to remove the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority from the list of corporations covered by the Crown Corporations Public Ownership Amendment Act.
Passage of the bill is essentially guaranteed due to the large majority held by the governing Saskatchewan Party, and once approved, the change will allow the government to proceed with plans to privatize 40 of the existing 75 SLGA stores, as well as issue licenses for an additional 12 private liquor retailers.
In a statement, Crown Investments Corporation Minister Don McMorris said that the changes “will give Saskatchewan consumers more choice, more convenience, and more competitive pricing.”