Inuvik, N.W.T., business owners say liquor price hike took them by surprise

An increase in liquor prices in Inuvik, N.W.T., this month has local businesses asking why they weren't warned ahead of time.

Two weeks ago, the price of beer went up 28 per cent at the Inuvik liquor store. The prices are set weekly by the N.W.T. Liquor and Cannabis Commission, and the manager at the store said he hadn't seen a jump that big in the year he has been there.

Local business owner Rick Adams, who runs the Mad Trapper pub, says he was also surprised by the higher price hike. He wants to know why there was no warning. 

"I found out about a week ago when I went to pick up my order. I said, 'what the hell is this?' I'm not talking pennies here, I am talking dollars," said Adams.

"It caught me so off-guard I had to come back to my establishment, get a hold of my staff and raise all my prices. That didn't give me time to warn the customers, either."

Adams said he hopes the commission does a better job of communicating with local liquor licence holders when something like this happens in the future.

"Maybe they have some reasons they have to do it, but it would have been nice if they came to me and discuss it. That's the problem right now," he said.

"The last thing I want to do is experience lower sales and have to lay off staff." 

Pam McDonald, one of the co-owners of Alestine's restaurant in Inuvik, says the increase means their business will need to raise prices for customers — something they have tried to avoid, with costs also rising in the community for things such as heating and electricity.

"I'm very angry," McDonald said.

"As a small business holding a liquor licence, we should have been aware of this before it happened, or asked before this happened."

McDonald said the timing is also bad, as winter is the most expensive time for businesses in Inuvik, with little tourism happening.

Earlier this week in the Legislative Assembly, Inuvik Boot Lake MLA Denny Rodgers asked why the increase is only in Inuvik.

Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek replied that the increase is due to a new contract negotiation with the local operator of the liquor store.