The BC Liquor Distribution Branch serves us well. It should not be sold to the private sector.

The BC Liquor Distribution Branch serves us well. It should not be sold to the private sector.

In a surprise announcement in February 2012, the provincial government announced its plans to privatize the province's Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) distribution system and sell-off its warehouses. The LDB stores are certain to be sold next.

The provincial government has presented no business case for the decision. No public consultation was held or will be held.

Our current liquor distribution system serves BC well. In the last five years, the liquor distribution and retail system contributed a net income of $4.3 billion to help pay for public services such as health, education and highways.

Our current mix of rural agency stores, privately operated neighbourhood stores and government liquor stores with consistent province-wide pricing, all supported by central distribution, works well for consumers.

The LDB system should not be fractured.

The central distribution system and the stores must stay together in one system—it's what makes it work. The system should not be 'fixed' without input from the people and communities affected.

Liquor privatizations in other jurisdictions have led to higher consumer prices, more stores with less selection, and marginalized workers.

In his review of government operations in Ontario, Don Drummond, former Chief Economist with the TD Bank, rejected the sell-off of the public Liquor Control Board of Ontario. Instead he called for the opening of additional public liquor stores and the full utilization of the LCBO's purchasing power to improve profits and create additional government revenue. The same approach should be taken in BC.

Studies show the best way to responsibly control alcohol sales is through a liquor distribution system that is owned and operated by government.

Liquor is a drug, not a product to be distributed and sold like any other. Abuse of alcohol can cause serious problems for families and communities. It should remain wholly under government control, not handed over to the private sector.

If we allow the provincial government to privatize liquor distribution, our publicly owned and operated retail liquor stores will follow.

Similar privatization changes in Alberta led to a tripling of the number of private liquor stores and caused the Calgary and Edmonton police departments to report significant increases in alcohol-related crimes.

Youth access to alcohol is a major community concern and the BC government's own research from the Liquor Control and Licensing Branch found that private stores are much less likely to request ID from customers who appeared under the age of 25 than public stores.

If these concerns are not addressed, the responsibility for more policing costs as well as those for health and social services may be downloaded to local governments.

Think about it. Uncertainty. Loss of government revenues. Higher prices for consumers. Potential for increased proliferation of private liquor outlets. All this without any business case or public consultation.

The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union (BCGEU) is urging municipal leaders to let the provincial government know they reject the sell-off of the revenue-generating LDB that has served British Columbians well for many years.

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