An MLA advisory committee has recommended that Alberta not allow liquor sales in grocery and convenience stores.
The committee, tasked with reviewing the province’s liquor retail model, presented its findings to the Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, concluding that the current system should remain in place.
The review was initiated to explore the feasibility of expanding liquor sales to grocery and convenience stores. Following consultations with industry representatives, business owners, and experts, the committee determined that such an expansion could negatively impact Alberta’s private liquor industry, which has existed since privatization in the 1990s.
Premier Danielle Smith accepted the committee’s recommendation, noting that Alberta’s liquor retail system is already among the most open in the country.
"The idea of expanding liquor sales to grocery and convenience stores has been discussed for years. I’m grateful for the work done by the MLAs and pleased to accept their recommendation," she said.
Alberta has more than 1,600 private liquor stores and offers access to over 36,000 liquor products. The province's system allows licensed liquor agents to bring in a wide range of products without significant barriers.
Minister Dale Nally, who oversees Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, supported maintaining the existing model. He emphasized that Alberta’s private liquor system supports small businesses and provides diverse products and services.
The committee found that expanding liquor sales to grocery and convenience stores could lead to closures of independent liquor stores, job losses, and reduced product variety and customer service.
Based on these findings, the committee recommended preserving the current model to protect the stability of the province’s liquor industry.
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