DRINK FOR THOUGHT

It’s by now standard belief that we have spent the pandemic days drinking more booze than ever and the revenue numbers of Canada’s largest liquor sellers bear that out, but not by as much as you might think. Revenues at the Liquor Control Board of Ontario (No. 75), Canada’s biggest server, grew 5.9% to almost $6.8 billion for a tidy $2.4-billion profit. Revenues at British Columbia Liquor Distribution Branch (No. 124) grew 6.9% to $3.8 billion and those at Société des alcools du Québec (135) also grew 5.9% to nearly $3.5 billion, netting $1.2 billion in the process. Nova Scotians certainly don’t mind a tipple or three as sales at the Nova Scotia Liquor Corp. (No. 373) rose 9.7% to $726.2 million, creating a healthy $247.3-million profit. Not all booze sellers did as well, particularly those whose agencies also include lotteries, such as the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (No. 304), where revenue fell 1% to a little less than $1.1 billion.