SLGA hikes its liquor fines

Barry Lacey, president of SLGA.

REGINA—Increased fines for violations and mandatory wine bottle recorking are among recent changes to Saskatchewan’s liquor laws.

Under the new rules from the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA), customers can leave a restaurant with a partially consumed wine bottle, provided it is completely sealed with a new cork by staff.

It is up to each owner or manager to decide if they want to charge a recorking fee for the service. All bottles, even ones with twist off caps, must be sealed with a cork and the restaurants must buy a recorker, which can cost from $20 to $200, at their own expense.

The legislation also outlines stiff fines up to $10,000 per individual for offences that include serving alcohol to minors, consuming beverages off-premise and selling alcohol to intoxicated customers.

Fines for the corporation can reach as much as $50,000 per offence and, according to the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association, the SLGA can now charge for the first offence.
 
Under the old rules, in some cases the establishment would receive a warning for serving to minors or overcrowding if it was its first offence.

Along with the fine, the court could also sentence offenders to six months in jail for certain charges.

Residents in the province now have the option to have liquor home delivered by licensees, with the intention of keeping intoxicated drivers from getting behind the wheel.