Decline in SAQ store sales: Closures coming and opening hours changing

The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) is set to overhaul the opening hours of hundreds of its stores across the province as part of a series of changes to its operations in the coming months.

The adjustments include the closure of two branches this spring, one located in Rivière-Bleue near the New Brunswick border and another in downtown Chicoutimi in the Saguenay region.

In addition to these closures, the SAQ will consolidate two branches in Brossard, on Montreal’s South Shore, into a single location. A new store is also scheduled to open in Sherbrooke, in the Estrie region.

“As we do every year, we re-evaluate the points of sale in our network to ensure that the location of our branches continues to meet our customers’ expectations,” said Linda Bouchard, a spokesperson with the SAQ. “Through this analysis, we have identified a need to fill in Sherbrooke, in a developing area. We will therefore be opening a new branch there this year.”

“On the other hand, we plan to cease operations at the Rivière-Bleue and downtown Chicoutimi branches, which are experiencing a decline in customer traffic,” explained Bouchard. “We will also be merging two branches that share the same customer base in Brossard. These decisions entail no job losses.”

The SAQ is further streamlining operations by modifying the opening hours of 251 of its stores across the province, with adjustments based on customer traffic patterns. These changes are part of the Crown corporation’s ongoing efforts to adapt to evolving market conditions.

“As for opening hours, it’s true that the schedules of 251 branches will be adjusted according to the customer traffic curve, sometimes opening later or earlier and/or closing later or earlier,” said Bouchard. “These are not systematic reductions in hours, but rather rearrangements of schedules according to customer traffic. This is a sound management practice.”

The move comes as the SAQ reported a decline in in-store sales during the second quarter of its 2024-2025 fiscal year. However, the corporation saw a 7.6 per cent increase in online sales compared to the same quarter last year, reaching a total of $19.9 million.

“All these measures will be implemented at the beginning of the next fiscal year, in April,” said Bouchard.

Despite the dip in physical store sales, the SAQ posted a net income of $337.8 million for the quarter, marking a $1.5 million, or 0.4 per cent, increase from the same period in 2023.

CityNews reached out to SEMB union for workers, and have yet to hear back with their comments.