Members of the Community Alcohol Management Plan was council to wait for more data before proceeding with a decision. (YouTube)

By Derek Cornet

alcohol

Municipality delays decision on increasing liquor store hours

Mar 29, 2023 | 1:55 PM

La Ronge council will wait for more information from several sources before proceeding with a decision on whether or not to increase hours of operation for retail liquor stores.

Patrick Campling, the majority owner of Lakeside Spirits, requested town council to amend a bylaw to allow liquor retail stores to be open longer hours. Under the Sale, Distribution, and Consumption of Beverage Alcohol and Cannabis Bylaw, liquor retail stores are permitted to remain open Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays and statutory holidays.

Campling would like to see the hours expanded to 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. for all seven days of the week regardless of holidays.

“I don’t think it is in the public’s best interest for us to rush decisions on this,” said deputy-mayor Abby Besharah.

“There is a bylaw that is in place that is governing around alcohol and cannabis and it has not been an issue until now. So, we can look at the bigger picture of the impact that this has and, while I do not want to stifle business in the community, our regulations exist how they are and businesspeople can enter into the free market under these conditions.”

Freedom and Flexibility

How App-Based Work Creates Economic Opportunity

Dec 12, 2025

Riderville

Now for the Hard Part

Dec 10, 2025

Seniors Scene

Christmas is Coming

Dec 09, 2025

The Sale, Distribution, and Consumption of Beverage Alcohol and Cannabis Bylaw was introduced in December 2018 as part of a community alcohol management strategy. The bylaw’s primary focus is to restrict hours of operation for various commercial operations involving cannabis and liquor beyond the provisions of provincial legislation.

While members of the Community Alcohol Management Plan (CAMP) wanted council to wait until the April 26 regular meeting to present new data, council decided to ask for that information to be ready for the April 11 meeting. The data would cover areas like RCMP alcohol-related calls for services and the number of alcohol-related visits to the La Ronge Health Centre.

“I think it is important to get that feedback, I just don’t know if a month is required. That’s a long time,” Mayor Joe Hordyski said.

The municipality will also reach out to the general public and retail/commercial liquor providers to gain a broader understanding of what community members would like to see happen.

–

derek.cornet@pattisonmedia.com’

Twitter: @saskjourno