Business operations winding down for SLGA stores
Business operations are winding down at Saskatchewan government liquor stores as the remaining 34 locations will close their doors in the new year.
Some prices have been slashed by nearly 50 per cent as the government begins clearing the shelves.
Lori Carr, minister in charge of SLGA said the stores are going to start closing in the third week of January and then slowly transition to the end of March.
“What we’re doing within our stores right now is the SKUs that have the least volume, we’re putting sales on those products and allowing people the opportunity to buy them up now,” she said.
All inventory must be cleared out by March 31 when the government exits liquor retailing. The store licenses will be auctioned off to private interests soon.
The 34 government stores made a $9 million profit just three years ago. That number has declined sharply as more private stores opened.
Because of the closures, 350 full and part time workers will lose their jobs.
NDP MLA Aleana Young said many of the staff have been working in the stores for years.
“I know we’ve heard stories of people saying, ‘You know, I’m a 50-year-old woman. I don’t know what I’m going to do next,’” she said.
Sale items will not be restocked once they’re sold but more popular brands will be as SLGA stores move into their final busy holiday season.
The government announced their plans to sell all SLGA liquor stores and exit the retail market on Oct. 26 of this year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.