The Government of Alberta has announced that a decision has been made regarding the potential sale of liquor in grocery and convenience stores.
Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally has accepted recommendations to maintain the province's current liquor retail model.
The recommendation was made by an MLA Advisory Committee who consulted with business owners, industry representatives, and experts.
They concluded that introducing liquor sales to grocery and convenience stores would harm Alberta's private liquor model that was first introduced in the 1990s.
The advisory committee surmised the change would likely result in widespread closures of independent liquor stores and subsequent job losses.
According to a release from the provincial government, Alberta has one of the "most open liquor markets in Canada," with over 1,600 stores and 36,000 liquor products.
"Alberta's private liquor model is a jewel in the crown and allows small businesses to thrive while providing a wide variety of products and services," said Minister Nally in the release. "I accept the MLA committee's recommendation to keep a level playing field and ensure the continued success of these businesses."
Premier Danielle Smith was also quoted, referring to the idea of expanding Alberta's liquor sales having been speculated on for years.
"I'm grateful for the significant work done by MLAs to look into the feasibility and wisdom of such an expansion and the recommendations they've put forward. I am pleased to accept those recommendations and ensure Alberta continues to uphold our current model, which is one of the most open in Canada."