New Brunswick premier-designate David Alward is shown outside the Legislature in Fredericton on Sept. 28, 2010.David Smith
With New Brunswick's new government facing a politically difficult year of scouring for cost-savings, the possibility of alcohol sales in convenience stores offers the chance for a bit of channel-changing populism.
The idea is one being weighed by Premier David Alward's Progressive Conservative government as it wrestles with a deficit projected to hit nearly half a billion this year.
The notion is being welcomed by an association of convenience stores, which acknowledges that their members would benefit financially but also argues it could be a win for the government.
"There's a move afoot by NB Liquor to try to wring some more efficiencies out of the system," noted Warren Maynard, chairman of the Atlantic Convenience Stores Association. "We think this is an efficient model. You're basically taking some products and putting them into a retail network that already exists."
Discussions are very preliminary, stressed Mr. Maynard, who suspects stores would sell only beer and perhaps a limited selection of wine.
New Brunswick Finance Minister Blaine Higgs, who has responsibility also for the province's liquor corporation, could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Few provinces in Canada have the sort of alcohol access being considered in New Brunswick. Beer and wine can be bought in convenience stores in Quebec and domestic beer is available in convenience stores in Newfoundland and Labrador. No other province is believed to allow such sales, though Alberta has licensed private stores that are open past midnight.
The suggestion comes as New Brunswick is wrestling with a difficult fiscal situation. The Tories' first budget, tabled last month, projected the deficit at about $449-million and the government has indicated it will be looking to make more serious cuts.
Among the measures in the recent budget was a demand that the New Brunswick Liquor Corporation find $10-million in extra profits, which it has said will not translate into higher prices. Convenience stores, already concerned that a tobacco tax hike in the budget will undercut their revenues by increasing the contraband market, are eager about the possibility of alcohol sales.
"Perhaps we can be part of the solution," Mr. Maynard said. "Alcohol is an age-restricted product and convenience stores are used to selling age-restricted products. We do that with tobacco. We do that with lottery products."
Oliver Moore