Second auction of retail liquor store permits set to begin

Another round of auctions for retail liquor store permits in Saskatchewan is set to begin Jan. 21.

The initial round began Nov. 27 and concluded Dec. 6.

The second series of auctions involves the rural municipalities of Blucher, Corman Park, Kindersley, Longlaketon and Shellbrook and the communities of Carlyle, Esterhazy, Gull Lake, Langham, Regina Beach, Unity and White City.

“There was strong interest during the initial online auction for permits that concluded in December,” Gene Makowsky, the minister responsible for the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority, said in a media release issued Tuesday.

“The auction process has worked well and ensures that available liquor permits in the province are allocated efficiently and transparently.”

The population of a community and the number of retailers currently operating in that centre will determine the availability of permits in that community.

A community must have a population of at least 500 to be eligible for a retail liquor permit.

There will only be an auction if someone seeks a permit in a community where there’s an available retail store permit.

Anyone interested in participating in an auction must register at www.McDougallBay.com, the website on which the bidding will occur. Each auction will start with an opening bid of $1,000.

“Further auctions will be held over the next few months until all current expressions of interest are addressed,” the media release said. “After the initial rounds, auctions will take place on a quarterly basis, if interest is expressed in a community where there is at least one available permit.”