The La Ronge SLGA liquor store in October 2022. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

business endeavour

‘New grounds for the town’: La Ronge council to pursue purchase of local SLGA liquor permit

Feb 15, 2023 | 9:15 PM

La Ronge Mayor Joe Hordyski said the municipality’s pursuit to purchase the local liquor license from the province would bring the town a profitable revenue stream if successful.

“I think just everybody keep their fingers crossed and hopefully we will get it,” he said in an interview with larongeNOW. “I think it is worth the effort to pursue. Hopefully, we’re successful and I think we can keep those profits local instead of going elsewhere. The people in the community can benefit from those.”

On Wednesday, town council announced its intention to consider allocating up to $2.5 million in start-up funds to operate the community’s primary retail liquor store. The permit went up for auction on Tuesday and, so far, no bid have been made. It closes Feb. 23.

Bidding closed on several permits on Wednesday with one in Regina going for $1.45 million, Prince Albert at $1.4 million and another in Saskatoon for $1.25 million.

The current SLGA building in La Ronge isn’t included in the auction, but Hordyski believes it would be a good idea for the town to purchase it as well.

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“In the short term, it would probably be a good idea to consider it given it would be quick to open and get to business,” he said. “It is a separate process and first of all, number one, would be to achieve the license and we would be open to looking at it. If we were able to get it at a reasonable price, that would be a bonus.”

Hordyski explained purchasing the store would also give residents more control when it comes to hours of operation. Local liquor retailers already follow strict municipal rules in La Ronge including reduced hours of operations for off-sales and bars, along with a beer bottle ban.

Off-sales can only operate 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays and stat holidays. Bars stop serving liquor at 1 a.m.

“I think as the owner of the business, you can operate it at will and so it would give us greater flexibility and not [being] worried about having approval by the province because we are an independent business,” Hordyski said. “So, where those hours will go will be determined by the management board. We will work with the community with what’s best.”

Hordyski also noted if the town is successful in obtaining the permit, it would allow for additional cash to fund a number of planned priorities. The municipality has approximately $70 million in capital projects and initiatives identified in its 2023-2032 capital plan, including wastewater treatment plant upgrades, recreation centre replacement, downtown revitalization, drainage and street repairs, and initiatives to support economic and residential development.

“A lot of the decisions, tough ones would have to be made, so coming up with a new revenue stream became very interesting,” he said. “This is definitely new grounds for the town.”

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno