During the online auction of retail liquor sale licenses, Humboldt was among the communities where bidders picked up the permit to vend liquor. Now, the Humboldt bid is among the 10 out of 35 where the deals have fallen through.
The government confirmed to CTV News that those deals struck for the licenses have been abandoned. The auction came as Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) wound down its retail operations in the province.
“I can’t speak to what those reasons might be but it has happened before,” David Morris, spokesperson for SLGA told the news outlet.
A pair of bids have been abandoned in Saskatoon, along with others in Regina, Moose Jaw, Yorkton, Estevan, Assiniboia, Moosomin, Esterhazy, and the aforementioned deal in Humboldt.
CTV reports that SLGA Opposition Critic Nathaniel Teed wants to know the reasoning. He had expressed concern from the outset.
“Now the process has been stymied even longer and I think it really comes back to how this privatization has just been a mess from the start,” Teed said.
Bidders who backed out will forfeit their $5000 deposits and will not be allowed to bid again on the same location. The abandoned licenses will come up for bid again at the end of May.