Parliamentary Secretary John Yap announced yesterday he is going with the majority, and endorsing liquor sales in B.C. grocery stores.
Stakeholders have been asking the government for greater accessibility to liquor through the Liquor Policy Review for months now.
Yap said B.C. should still maintain the current cap on the total number of retail outlets in the province and will recommend that liquor be displayed separate from grocery products.
Yap is also recommending that the government give public and private liquor stores time to phase in the proposed changes.
Yap’s final report was delivered Nov. 25 and puts forward more than 70 recommendations on “modernizing B.C.’s liquor laws, focused on enhancing convenience and growing B.C.’s economy, while ensuring public health and safety,” states the press release.
In our city of high crime rates, will the benefit of convenience outweigh the inherent risk of housing a controlled substance such as alcohol, in a store where children shop?
We already have concerns about the safety of employees and customers at our stores — especially when they’re coming and going.
Selling alcohol may only add to those problems.
We also have concerns about people living in our community who are struggling with addicition now having another outlet to conveniently get their drug of choice.
Alcohol causes a lot of problems in our society. Should we really be promoting it, particularly in front of our children?
Where will our modernization stop — will grocery stores also sell marijuana once it’s legalized?