REGINA - The online auctions for private SLGA retail liquor store permits have now begun on the McDougall Auctioneers website.
The first auction is for five permits, in Regina, Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Watrous and Carlyle. Bids open at $100 and the online auction continues until 2 p.m. on Feb. 15.
This is the first of six groups of permits being put up for bid, with the final grouping to close on Feb. 24. According to the McDougall Auctions website the auction sale requires pre-registration, with a refundable deposit of $5,000 per permit required to participate. Each auction is open for 10 days with auctions taking place in real time, with bids visible as they are made.
Minister for SLGA Lori Carr announced the process for the online auction when speaking to reporters at the legislature in January.
A total of 35 permits are up for bid in the entire process. 34 permits are up for auction to take over the licenses being freed up with the closure of the last remaining SLGA liquor stores, while one permit covers a previously-closed store in Saskatoon.
SLGA is currently in the process of closing the remaining public liquor stores, with stores being closed up until the end of March, 2023.
