Please take the time to participate in the Liquor Legislation Review

Dear Members,

Public engagement has started this week on the Liquor Act, and we know that many of you have a direct interest in the liquor laws and how they relate to your business. The GNWT have set up a virtual meeting, for our members specifically, on Thursday, April 8, 2021 from 09:30 am to 11:30 am MT. 

Please RSVP if you would like to attend the virtual meeting
If you would like to attend the virtual meeting on Thursday, April 8, please RSVP Erica in our office (erica@spectacularnwt.com). All members who RSVP will be sent the online link for registration for the meeting. If members prefer, you can send written suggestions via email to liquorreview@gov.nt.ca.

To help you become familiar with the review, you can read the discussion paper attached here. 

There are key sections in the "Topics for Discussion" that we would like to draw to your attention.  

Q1.1: What are the most important objectives of liquor legislation in the NWT?
One of the potential objectives of the Liquor legislation is to support tourism.

Q5.1: Should the NWT expand the types of businesses that can sell/serve liquor? Why or why not?
Currently, most tourism operators fall under the Class D license (liquor-incidental). Here is the background information provided about this item in the Discussion Guide:

• Across Canada, types of liquor licenses are changing, particularly those that might fall under the NWT’s Class C and Class D. Many businesses include liquor service as part of their business model, particularly when customers are receiving a service over an extended period.
  
  Examples of premises under this model include tourism businesses, funeral homes, and art galleries. Other businesses do not have premises at all, including chartered tour buses and fishing expeditions.
  
  In the NWT, some businesses that provide services like aurora-viewing and shore-lunch excursions are interested in becoming licensed – either to sell liquor or to allow patrons to bring legally purchased liquor with them. If the legislation were changed to include this, licence holders would be required to meet the same requirements already established under Classes C and D. The benefits are customer enjoyment, economic development and tourism development. There are risks, but the risks are generally low because these types of businesses cater only to paying or registered customers.

We ask that you take a read of the discussion paper which is attached above. For full details about the Liquor Legislation Review, click here.

Please participate with us to ensure that changes in the Liquor Act support the tourism industry!

Thank you,

Donna Lee Demarcke
CEO, NWT Tourism
executive@spectacularnwt.com
867-873-5007 Ext: 1005