RANKIN INLET & CAMBRIDGE BAY, NU – Nunatsiaq Online reports that residents of two hamlets in Nunavut have voted in favour of opening beer and wine stores in their communities.
In a non-binding plebiscite held on Monday May 1st, 74% of ballots cast in Rankin Inlet voted Yes to the proposal, while 82% of those cast in Cambridge Bay did the same.
Despite the positive result, CBC News North reports that some residents have expressed concerns about the idea, citing issues with alcohol abuse in the communities.
There are currently no retail alcohol outlets in Nunavut, and many communities are completely dry, while residents in others are limited to ordering alcohol to be shipped from warehouses in Iqaluit and Rankin Inlet at a high mark-up.
The territory’s first retail beer and wine store is expected to open at the Iqaluit warehouse later this year, following a 2015 plebiscite that showed 78% of residents in favour of the idea.
The stores proposed for Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay will require approval by the Nunavut government before they can go forward.