Seven Quebec mayors asking provincial government to stop closure of eight SAQ liquor stores

Seven Quebec mayors are demanding that the province puts a stop to the closure of eight SAQ liquor stores in the province. They argue that these closures will have a significant impact on the vitality of local businesses and services. 

“I find it very disappointing,” said Heidi Ektvedt, mayor of Baie-D’Urfé. “And I say that mildly.”

“This hurts other businesses,” said Ektvedt. “And it really feels like the left hand of the government is not speaking to the right hand because on one hand we’re talking about densification and walkable cities.” 

“And yet you have the SAQ which is an arm of the Quebec government,” she added. ‘Making decisions to close and make people drive further.”

“We’re definitely going to lose a lot of traffic,” said Alena Maroz, owner of Jack Steel salon. “That’s 100 per cent.”

The mayor of Baie-D’Urfé, on Montreal’s West Island, says that the closure of an SAQ without any prior consultation with people in the area is unworthy of a provincial crown corporation, and she denounces this lack of consideration. The Baie-D’Urfé location is scheduled to close in August. 

“It’s an asset to have the SAQ here for sure,” said Carole Duplantie, a Baie-D’Urfé resident. “I think it could affect the other businesses in this mall.”

“Myself and my partner are drinking less these days so it won’t personally have an impact on myself,” added another resident, Tareya Webster. “But I can definitely understand local businesses having an impact negatively.”

“I do know it has a great impact on a lot of my neighbors,” said Susan Lem, Baie-D’Urfé resident. “And people who live here and actually work here.”

In a statement to CityNews, the SAQ says that they are conscious of the drawing power of their stores, but cannot carry the responsibility of revitalization. They add that when they decide to close a branch, the shopping patterns of citizens have already shifted as shown by a prolonged decline in traffic at these locations. 

“When you own a monopoly on a business and you are owned by a provincial crown corporation you do have some social responsibility to your stakeholders,” said Ektvedt.

CityNews reached out to the office of Quebec’s Minister of Municipal Affairs, Andrée Laforest, who is being asked to intervene, but she was unable to comment.

The SAQ store closures come as the crown corporation is about to launch a number of “micro-stores” or kiosks, located in other stores starting in May. An online petition has been set up through the National Assembly demanding a moratorium on the closure of the SAQ branches and can be signed until May 26th. 

“I do feel sad about it,” said Duplantie. “There is history here for me and now it means I have to get into my car and pollute the air and go somewhere else for the same product.”