The Alberta government says it won’t expand liquor sales to grocery and convenience stores because of concerns it could harm current liquor retailers.
The decision comes after an MLA review committee said that changing Alberta’s private liquor model could harm the existing industry–especially small businesses–while reducing product variety, according to an Oct. 2 press release.
Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally accepted the committee’s recommendation to maintain the private model, saying the change “would significantly harm small businesses.”
Despite the convenience for consumers, expansion to grocery and convenience stores “would have a detrimental effect on the retail liquor store industry,” said committee member Scott Sinclair, MLA for Lesser Slave Lake….