Alberta liquor retailers reject idea of expanding alcohol sales to groceries, corner stores

People working in Alberta's liquor industry say they're perplexed to see the provincial government consider letting grocers and corner stores sell alcohol in an already privatized retail system.

Dale Nally, the minister responsible for Alberta liquor, gaming and cannabis, acknowledged this month that a panel of MLAs is studying the idea.

"We heard about some innovative things that Ontario is doing, getting liquor on the grocery store shelves," Nally told reporters last week.

"I wouldn't be doing my job as the minister if we didn't take a look at it."

Nally's press secretary, Nicky Gocuan, told CBC News in a statement that the government assembled a group to study liquor sales in late December. The panel includes United Conservative Party MLAs Andrew Boitchenko, Brandon Lunty, Scott Sinclair and Chelsae Petrovic.

The move was "driven by media inquiries to government after Ontario proposed a significant change in its retail liquor model," the statement said.

To date, the panel has consulted with provincial regulator Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC), liquor retailers, grocery and convenience operators, warehouses, and responsible-use advocacy groups Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Alberta Liquor Store Association president Ivonne Martinez said when she submitted feedback to the panel in March, her message was clear.

"Industry is 100 per cent opposed to this," she said.

New competition from large grocery and convenience chains could be disastrous for many of Alberta's independently owned liquor stores, Martinez said.

"We wait to hear what the panel is recommending to the minister. But we would say that it would be a catastrophic initiative for our industry for sure," she said.

"Nobody's asking for this. So why are we looking at this? Why are we trying to find a solution to a problem that doesn't exist?"

Gocuan said Albertans are also being consulted through a public opinion survey. It's unclear whether the survey already happened, or if it's rolling out in the future.

No decisions have been made — Nally said he still hasn't seen the MLA panel's report on the feedback they gathered, but he expects to say more about the issue soon.