Moratorium on private liquor permit sales ends Oct. 8

Changes are coming for Saskatchewan’s private liquor stores, which will soon have the option of selling their permits.

In 2016, the provincial government first announced 50 permits for private liquor stores. This year on Oct. 8, a two-year moratorium on selling those permits will end, opening up the market to other retailers.

Loblaws has already expressed interest in opening four liquor stores in the province, one each in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw and Yorkton.

Gene Makowksy, minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), said the government has no immediate plans to announce new liquor permits, but he wouldn’t rule it out.

-with files from Canadian Press