The request to adjust hours for alcohol retailers will likely be addressed Tuesday. (File photo/paNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

town council

Lakeside Spirits planning drive-thru, alcohol survey results released

Apr 10, 2023 | 4:02 PM

Lakeside Spirits Inc. plans to operate a retail alcohol business with a drive-thru along Finlayson Street.

That’s according to a document sent from the retailer to La Ronge council, which is set to be discussed at a regular meeting on Tuesday. Council is expected to receive a building permit with further details for approval in the coming weeks.

“We are requesting that council look at and amend Bylaw 519-18 Sale, Distribution and Consumption of Beverage Alcohol and Cannabis,” the document stated. “We are seeking an amendment to the restriction of hours for the sale of alcohol for consumption off premises for the following reasons.”

Those reasons include residents having the ability to lawfully purchase alcohol and shouldn’t be restricted because of where they live; buying alcohol is an essential service, and selling alcohol that is sealed and to be consumed off-site is fundamentally different than selling it to be served on-site.

Other listed reasons are alcohol and gaming regulations already layout hours of operation for the sale of alcohol, the Sunday hours are archaic and their business model includes steps towards harm reduction, including selling a variety of non-alcohol beverages and cocktails.

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“Restricting hours for the sale of alcohol to be consumed off premises only means that we will be seeing the same amount of customers in a shorter period of time,” the document notes. “We cannot sell alcohol to individuals who are intoxicated – it is already against the law, and is an effective means of harm reduction.”

Lakeside Spirits would like hours to be set to 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days per week. A survey of 260 people shows the majority of respondents don’t want hours to change. In total, 52 per cent were against amending the hours for retail outlets and 53 per cent were against changing them for bars.

Results for all survey questions can be found online here.

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derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @saskjourno