{"id":958,"date":"2022-07-27T12:10:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-27T16:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.restaurantscanada.org\/industry-news\/saskatchewan-earns-c-minus-grade-on-pandemic-liquor-policy-report-card\/"},"modified":"2022-07-27T12:10:00","modified_gmt":"2022-07-27T16:10:00","slug":"saskatchewan-earns-c-minus-grade-on-pandemic-liquor-policy-report-card","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.restaurantscanada.org\/fr\/saskatchewan-earns-c-minus-grade-on-pandemic-liquor-policy-report-card\/","title":{"rendered":"Saskatchewan earns C-minus grade on pandemic liquor policy report card"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Restaurants Canada has just released a special COVID-19 edition of its Raise the Bar report calling on Saskatchewan to fix its uneven liquor pricing model and cut down on disruptive behaviour.<\/em><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

REGINA, SASKATCHEWAN — The grades are in: For the fourth time since 2015, Restaurants Canada has given each province a report card on how industry-friendly their liquor policy landscape is for bars and restaurants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this year\u2019s report, Saskatchewan failed to improve its grade from a C-minus due to a lack of progress on key asks from Restaurants Canada\u2019s previous report in 2019, which called for a reduction in excessive liquor markups, wholesale pricing for all liquor licensees, and a liquor server wage. The province also lost marks due to the long, disruptive lapse in its policy allowing alcohol sales with takeout and delivery orders during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This critical policy was unfortunately eliminated without consultation in July 2021, and was finally reinstated in November 2021 in response to Restaurants Canada\u2019s advocacy efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSaskatchewan needs to take decisive action to provide licensed establishments with more meaningful cost relief and move ahead with a comprehensive review of liquor policies, as was previously promised by the government,\u201d said Jennifer Henshaw, Restaurants Canada\u2019s Director of Provincial Government Relations for Western Canada. \u201cRestaurants Canada is also calling on the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority to improve communications with the province\u2019s foodservice industry as struggling bars and restaurants continue to work towards recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how Saskatchewan\u2019s performance record on Restaurants Canada\u2019s Raise the Bar report compares with the rest of the provinces:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 <\/td>GRADES<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
PROVINCE<\/strong><\/td>2015<\/em><\/strong><\/td>2017<\/em><\/strong><\/td>2019<\/em><\/strong><\/td>2022<\/em><\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
British Columbia<\/strong><\/td>C+<\/td>C<\/td>C<\/td>B<\/td><\/tr>
Alberta<\/strong><\/td>B+<\/td>B<\/td>B<\/td>B+<\/td><\/tr>
Saskatchewan<\/strong><\/td>D+<\/td>C-<\/td>C-<\/td>C-<\/td><\/tr>
Manitoba<\/strong><\/td>C<\/td>C<\/td>C<\/td>C<\/td><\/tr>
Ontario<\/strong><\/td>D+<\/td>D+<\/td>C-<\/td>C+<\/td><\/tr>
Quebec<\/strong><\/td>C+<\/td>B-<\/td>B-<\/td>C<\/td><\/tr>
New Brunswick<\/strong><\/td>C-<\/td>D<\/td>D-<\/td>B-<\/td><\/tr>
Nova Scotia<\/strong><\/td>C+<\/td>B-<\/td>B-<\/td>B<\/td><\/tr>
Prince Edward Island<\/strong><\/td>B-<\/td>B-<\/td>B-<\/td>C+<\/td><\/tr>
Newfoundland & Labrador<\/strong><\/td>F<\/td>D-<\/td>D-<\/td>C+<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How can Saskatchewan raise the bar?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Restaurants Canada is continuing to work with the Saskatchewan government, specifically with the SLGA, to improve the liquor policy landscape for bars and restaurants. Here\u2019s how the province can increase its grade by the next Raise the Bar report:<\/p>\n\n\n\n