The Edmonton Journal quoted one vender as saying, “I'll lose thousands, thousands of dollars,” stating that she will lose $40,000 per month due to the 10:00 PM closing. She is further quoted as saying, “It's just kind of taking away our rights. This is supposed to be free enterprise.” If this was the position of just one person, we could write this off emotional nonsense, but this vendor seems to be echoing the sentiments of many.
I'll go out on a limb, a very sturdy one and say, this to will pass with no ill effect. It smells a great deal like the noise made over the provincial smoking laws prohibiting bars and lounges from allowing smoking in their establishments. Many businesses cried out foul play quoting projected financial losses. Some closed their doors in protest shortly after the law came into effect. But as time passed, the bars kept in businesses, and many adjusted their practices. Now over a year later, the emotional reaction is no longer heard. Simply put, all these establishments ended up in the same boat and on equal status. Their market remained stable.
The liquor business is made up of several buyer types. The occasional drinker, who only buys when they are hosting family and friends. The casual drinker, who likes to indulge in the privacy of their homes, drinking wine or beer with meals or watching football. The third type is the habitual drinker, who requires the consumption of alcohol to function, and likes to drink whenever the need arises. All three of these consumers type will ensure that when the need for alcohol arrives, they will buy before 10:00 PM. In the case of the third type of consumer, it is reasonable to assume there needs will be top priority.
It could actually be argued that this forced change will be beneficial to the liquor store owner, as they can close their doors in a timely manner. Staff expenses are reduced, along with utilities. Once the buyers adjust to the new timeline, all will be well.
The concerns of our liquor store owner quoted here seem to be arguments reached for in order to support a position that is tenuous at best. One should remember that before liquor sales in Alberta were privatized, it was the provincial government alone that controlled its final sale to the general public. Which simply means that there is no real “taking away our rights” as she put it. In this province, since alcohol is a regulated substance, it is a privilege to sell liquor and not a right. Further, the establishment of any business within a municipality, is controlled by the municipal governance. The issuance of a business license is a clear indicator that even hanging a shingle is a privilege and not a right.
The Wetaskiwin City Council identified a problem that they believe is exasperated by alcohol consumption. Ask any police officer what keeps them busy during their nightshift and they will tell you that nearly all complaints received have some component of alcohol abuse to it. In the City of Wetaskiwin’s wisdom they decided to do the only thing available to them, and that was to place some form of regulation on the sale of alcohol within the city boundaries. Although it is not clear how much effect it will have to close liquor stores at 10:00 PM, it is reasonable to believe that if they had forced closure at 8:00 PM, the influence on alcohol consumption in the city would be more effective.
It has been also suggested that 10:00 PM closures will force buyers, who suddenly find themselves dry, driving north to Millet to fulfill their cravings. With four liquor stores and one off-sales vender, the small town of 2,200 is poised to take advantage of Wetaskiwin’s new bylaw. All I see in this is a great strip of road for the Police to set-up Alberta Check Stops. In light of this, it would also be reasonable to assume that the Wetaskiwin consumer will adjust to the new business restrictions and avoid being pulled over.
The last concern that has been brought up to the media is the possibility of increased offences of bootlegging. Bootlegging liquor is prompted by people under age, and usually in a situation when they are out late at night not supervised. Do you think that possibly closing at 10:00 PM will actually reduce bootlegging, since you need a liquor store open to commit the offence?
In the end, bootlegging will not turn into a ‘prohibition era problem,’ liquor sales in general will not be affected, and operating costs will be reduced. Lets just hope that the bylaw has the effect that the City of Wetaskiwin council was looking for, reduceing property crime, drunk driving and domestic violence. Because, in the end, the reaction to this new bylaw has been much ado about nothing.
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