Bylaw to change how alcohol is sold in La Ronge passed first reading
With a change in vote by Counc. Rex McPhail, La Ronge Council passed the first reading of a bylaw Saturday at a special meeting which will dramatically effect how liquor is sold in town.
In a 4-3 vote, the sale, distribution and consumption of beverage alcohol and cannabis will be limited in the municipality on certain days and hours. According to the bylaw, liquor and cannabis stores will only be able to operate between the hours of 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. from Monday to Saturday, while hours are reduced further to 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays and statutory holidays. Lounges, taverns and special-use facilities are bound by the same rules, but can serve alcohol as late as 1 a.m. from Monday to Saturday. The only change made to the bylaw from when it was first tabled at a regular meeting Nov. 28 is allowing bars to stay open to 1:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day.
Those who voted in favour of the bylaw aside from Rex McPhail included Deputy-Mayor Hugh Watt, as well as Councillors Matthew Klassen and Jordan McPhail, while Mayor Ron Woytowich and Councillors Dallas Everest and Glenn Watchel voted against it.
“I’m in support for it, but I’m not in support of bringing the change of hours by itself,” Watchel said prior to the vote. “If we don’t have anything else in place and we just change the hours, I think we’re setting it up for failure. I’d honestly like to table it until we bring all components in.”