Former SLGA buildings around province being snapped up

SASKATOON Saskatchewan’s government is continuing to sell off buildings that once housed Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority retail stores, which have been shuttered as the province moves to introduce more privately owned liquor stores.

The most recent sale, which saw BP Ag and Truck Ltd. acquire a building in Wadena for $110,000, was approved by the Saskatchewan Party government earlier this month, according to cabinet documents.

Over the last three months, cabinet has signed off on similar sales in Kelvington, Rosetown, Wynyard, Hudson Bay, Leader, Wakaw, Canora and Kipling, cabinet documents show. Sale prices range from $10,000 to $379,600.

The sales are part of a broader move, announced in 2015, to shutter 39 publicly owned liquor stores and open 50 private ones.

According to SLGA, all of the new vendors have been selected and, as of mid-July, 24 of the 39 stores have been closed. The 39 closures will result in a total of 170 SLGA employees being laid off.

In July, the Crown corporation issued an additional 32 pink slips related to its distribution model changing. Those layoffs took effect Sept. 23, SLGA spokeswoman Stephanie Choma said in an email. Two SLGA stores in Saskatoon were included in the 39 slated for closure. The Market Mall location closed July 16 and the Riversdale store will shut down on Oct. 28, Choma said, adding that both locations were leased by the Crown corporation.

SLGA reported taking in $637 million from liquor sales last year, down slightly from the $641 million it reported in 2015-16 but above the $622 million it took in during the 2014-15 fiscal year.