Homemade beer at weddings, ability to drink in parks just some potential changes coming to Sask. liquor laws
The Government of Saskatchewan is proposing further relaxation of liquor laws in the province.
The changes proposed by the government on Monday include consumption of alcohol in parks and the serving of homemade beer and wine at weddings.
According to Lori Carr, Minister responsible for Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming, the amendments to the Alcohol and Gaming Regulation Act, 1997 is meant to modernize the laws in the province.
"Reducing red tape in Saskatchewan's liquor laws increases flexibility for the public and creates new opportunities for communities and business,” Carr said.
The changes to the legislation include:
- Giving municipalities and park authorities the discretion to designate outdoor public spaces for consumption of alcohol.
- Simplifying recorking provisions for permittees.
- Allowing homemade beer, wine and cider to be served at family events that are permitted with a special occasion permit, including products made at a U-Brew/U-Vin facility.
- Removing the requirement for applicants to publish their intentions to obtain a liquor permit in local newspapers.
When asked about the effects relaxing the liquor laws will have on communities, Carr said it will be up to municipalities to judge whether or not to allow consumption in more areas.
“Well I think the municipalities that decide to allow this permitting to happen will know whether the people in their communities can handle that responsibility,” she told reporters on Monday.
“They have the opportunity to draft them the way they want. If they feel it’s appropriate to allow alcohol to be drank in a park then they can make that permit. If they don’t want that to happen then they don’t have to.”
For liquor consumption rules in provincial parks, the government will not institute any provincial wide guidelines, but leave it up to the individual parks to make that decision based on safety factors.
When asked if the new rulings around homemade beer, wine and ciders would open the door to legal moonshine production, Carr said the amendments would not change the current rules surrounding moonshine.
“It's illegal to do that right now and there’s no consideration of that at this time,” she said.
This marks the second time in 2022 the Government of Saskatchewan has tried to amend the laws surrounding alcohol consumption in the province.
A previous attempt in the spring was struck down after the Saskatchewan NDP called for more consultation with the public before changing the law.
“We are continuing to engage with stakeholders and municipalities, my colleagues … have been engaging with stakeholders all summer long,” Nathaniel Teed, NDP MLA for Saskatoon Meewasin, told reporters on Monday.
“We’re confident that with those conversations, we can look at this legislation.”
Carr is sure the amendments will pass now that consultation has been done and the opposition is on board.
“We’re fairly certain it will go through this time around,” she said.
For Teed, the benefits of the bill are clear. However, he believes there should be consideration of the responsibilities being shifted between levels of government.
“We do realize that it is offloading that responsibility onto municipalities. I think it gives the opportunity for municipalities to look at this issue and see if they want to opt in and see what challenges that may present,” he said.
“I worry about passing the buck, just onto municipalities. I think there needs to be supports put in place but I need to review that further and engage with stakeholders.”
The bill is expected to pass in the spring of 2023 and come into effect by the summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.