SAQ will deliver booze to your door during COVID-19 pandemic

The Société des alcools du Québec is giving Quebecers one more reason to stay home during the COVID-19 pandemic: The SAQ will now deliver booze to your door.

Calling it “good news,” the SAQ is teaming with Purolator to deliver “parcels of your favourite wine and liquor.”

Delivery times are approximately 10 business days and there is a home-delivery fee of $12, which “will be entirely donated to Food Banks of Quebec to deal with the current situation.”

Orders can be placed at saq.com. The SAQ also addresses virus-related questions in the Frequently Asked Questions section on its site, such as, the risk that a package can be contaminated.

Answer: “Rest assured, our employees who receive, prepare and assemble your orders at our warehouse respect the new sanitary standards. In addition, Purolator ensures that its employees also follow the hygiene and protection measures recommended by Health Canada. There is therefore little risk of catching the virus by being in contact with a package.”

Customers can also still opt for in-store pickup. “You can still have your package delivered to one of our stores with the Click-purchase-pick up service. Delivery fees remain $6, or free with purchases of $75 and more,” the SAQ said.

(To make sure the package is delivered to the rightful recipient, and to confirm you are indeed at least 18 years old, the delivery person will ask for your ID. However, she or he will make sure to abide by the two-metre distance rule and will not require a signature.)

The SAQ has revised its opening hours during the pandemic. All outlets are now closed on Sundays, as are grocery stores. Other days and hours may vary slightly from store to store: “Monday: noon at the earliest to 6 p.m. at the latest. Tuesday to Saturday: 10 a.m. at the earliest to 6 p.m. at the latest.”

Quebec Premier François Legault recently said there are advantages to keeping the doors at the SAQ open as an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic. He mentioned maintaining social peace, before adding: “I think also that to reduce the stress you have to do some exercise — so have a walk — but sometimes a glass of wine may help.”