Service Alberta minister takes aim at discounted 4-litre vodka jugs

Alberta's minister responsible for liquor, gaming and cannabis says either he or the provincial regulator will review how a large plastic jug of vodka landed on liquor store shelves selling for less than $50.

"I don't think a four-litre plastic jug of vodka adds to the quality of the distillery industry we have in this province," Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Minister Dale Nally said at a news conference on Monday. "I don't think that it is responsible pricing to price it like that."

Pictures of plastic jugs for sale in an Edmonton liquor store were posted Friday night on social media, labelled "Value Vodka," and priced at $49.95.

Nally said the packaging complied with provincial rules and regulations.

He made the comments hours before tabling an omnibus bill that would give the minister the power to regulate liquor prices in Alberta.

Nally said if the bill passes, he'd be able to act upon his concerns quickly. If the legislation doesn't pass as proposed, he will ask Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC) to look into the product and pricing, he said.

But the jugs may not be around for long.

In a statement late Monday afternoon, St. Albert-based T-Rex distillery said it is halting production of the four-litre format in response to public feedback, which was a mix of concern and praise for the product.

The T-Rex owners, who did not attach their names to the statement, said they've heard nothing directly from Nally, the government or the AGLC about the product, which has been on the market for about a year. They said the AGLC approved their pricing.

Sunny Bhullar, co-owner of Super Value Liquor, said the four-litre vodka bottles have been on sale at his stores since April 3 and are normally around $65. The sale price continued on Monday.

He said he was surprised by the minister's concerns because beer is sold in packs of 36 cans and wine is available in four-litre packages. It's up to the consumer to use the product responsibly, he said.

Bhullar said he hopes the province doesn't get into the business of setting retail prices for alcohol. The AGLC establishes wholesale prices.

"It will take away the beauty of the Alberta model," Bhullar said. "We're not in Ontario. We're not in Saskatchewan."

T-Rex's statement said craft distillers have "suffered from a lack of responsible pricing" since the AGLC eliminated a rule in 2020 that required craft distilleries to produce 80 per cent of their spirits in-house.

The statement said the change forced distilleries to lower their prices to stay in business, and called on the government to reverse the decision.

Omnibus bill allows more courthouse digitization

Nally tabled Bill 16, the Red Tape Reduction Statutes Amendment Act, in the legislature on Monday. It proposes amendments to 12 acts in 10 provincial ministries.

If passed, proposed changes to the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act would also allow minors to pass through casino gaming spaces with an adult, if they are trying to access other amenities, like a restaurant, hotel, or sports facility.

Nally said the current rules have left kids' sports teams staying at hotels with casinos unable to get to restaurants within the buildings.

The bill would also eliminate the requirement for cannabis store workers to have criminal record checks. Nally said the AGLC was spending 1,300 hours a year on this task, and finding criminal convictions in just a fraction of a per cent of cases. Store managers will still need the checks.

Bill 16 also proposes a change that Didsbury veterinarian Dr. Gordon Krebs has been advocating for — extending the statute of limitations for the Crown to file charges for a provincial offence, such as a traffic violation, to 12 months from six.

Officials said that would bring Alberta in line with other jurisdictions, and the statute on less serious criminal code offences.

Krebs, who was also at Monday's news conference, said the RCMP assured him a driver would be held responsible for causing a 2022 collision that left his adult son, Cody, paralyzed. He said the police missed the deadline by nine days, and the Crown could not proceed with charges.

Krebs said the time extension was a good first step to protect victims' rights, "And hopefully prevent another family from going through what we've gone through."

Other changes that are proposed or enabled by Bill 16 include:

• Amendments to allow more virtual court sittings, as were used during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Allowing parties to submit evidence to court digitally.
• Allowing citizens to enter pleas to provincial violations and receive court dates online or by email.
• Allowing for increases in income support payments to people fleeing domestic violence, and raise payments to parents living in shelters with more children. The current $357 monthly payment would rise to between $594 and $1,000 a month depending on the number of kids.
• Amending the Public Lands Act to make it easier for business owners to renew lease agreements.
• Repealing a 2018 law, opening the door to the College of Alberta Psychologists to regulate counsellors.
• Give library boards the flexibility to include four communities in an intermunicipal board, up from three.
• Amend the Traffic Safety Act to authorize the government to permit pilot projects using off-highway vehicles and driverless vehicles on designated roads.