NDP's marching orders to Liquor & Lotteries board: More public liquor stores, gambling expansion

The NDP government is promising to establish more publicly owned liquor stores and lift the suspension on gambling expansion in Manitoba. 

The province is instructing the new board of Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries to "responsibly expand public liquor retail stores, including Liquor Mart Express outlets," and to "lift the pause on gaming expansion in a targeted fashion," according to a mandate letter issued Tuesday to new board chair Jeff Traeger.

The MBLL's new marching orders don't specify how many liquor stores the government would like to open. Glen Simard, the minister responsible for the Crown corporation, says that decision will rest with the board.

"We have a lot of faith in our public Liquor & Lotteries Corporation, and part of having that faith is giving them the ability to expand and grow and provide these jobs in these local communities that require them," Simard said.

He added Manitoba's growing population and the increasing demand for liquor store products is also behind the province's desire for expansion. 

There are currently 63 Liquor Mart and Liquor Mart Express locations in Manitoba.

While in opposition, the NDP spoiled the PC government's plans for a pilot project to sell liquor at private retailers. The New Democrats framed it as detrimental to community safety to have liquor more accessible to youth and people struggling with addictions. 

In Manitoba, most urban centres have government-run liquor stores selling a wide range of products. There are also private beer vendors and small breweries in these communities, as well as a small number of private wine stores.

In many rural and northern areas, private retailers are licensed to sell a full range of products. The mandate letter asks the board to maintain its support for these businesses.

Konrad Narth, the Tory critic for MBLL, is disappointed the NDP's showing no willingness to expand the private sector's involvement in selling liquor. 

"Liquor Marts, Express stores, they aren't truly convenient and don't actually offer more market choice," Narth said, adding that currently some shoppers are visiting multiple stores for the liquor they want.

Lifting suspension on gambling expansion

The provincial government is also looking at permitting the expansion of gambling, which the former PC government paused in 2018.

The province will lift the pause gradually to support "economic reconciliation and local economic development while maintaining MBLL's commitment to supporting the communities they serve," the mandate letter states. 

Simard said the province has received a number of requests to lift the pause, which also means new VLTs could be installed.

The Tories prohibited any expansion of the industry as it undertook a review. Former premier Brian Pallister produced a report that said the gambling market is oversupplied in Manitoba and Winnipeg.

Tuesday's mandate letter asks MBLL to review its approach to online gaming "to ensure it remains relevant to Manitoba."

The Crown corporation runs PlayNow.com, the province's only regulated online gaming platform.

Simard says he wants to persuade more online gamblers to use the province's platform rather than the illegal or grey-market entities. 

"We have to make sure that Manitobans understand the distinction between the two: When you play with PlayNow and you lose, the investment goes into Manitoba."

The corporation's last annual report explains that marketing efforts around PlayNow were enhanced in the last year to increase brand awareness. 

The mandate letter also calls for:

• A "staffing capacity" that meets the corporation's needs.
• Fair wages for staff.
•  The creation of a new information technology modernization system to support the corporation's liquor and gambling businesses. 

The new, hand-picked board will be chaired by Traeger, president of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 832. The vice-chair is Tim Comack, vice-president of development with Ventura Land Company.

Other board members are Michelle Cameron, Sarah Pinsent-Bardarson, Christine Van Cauwenberghe, Tannis Mindell, Josiane Kroll, Doug Ramsey and Sara Penner.

Comack and Van Cauwenberghe are the only two PC appointees to remain on the board.