Lougheed Highway Superstore gets wine licence

Despite concerns about the struggles of smaller liquor stores, Coquitlam council recently voted to allow the Superstore on Lougheed Highway to put wine and cider on its shelves.

Council was set to vote on the application in November but opted to postpone their decision pending information about Superstore’s philanthropy in the community.

A letter sent to the city from Loblaw representative Victoria Kendrew-Ascah detailed the company’s food donations to more than 30 schools in the area and to Share Family & Community Services.

“Our two Coquitlam Real Canadian Superstores have donated a quantity of 100,000 pounds of food so far in 2023. We also donate food to the 3030 Gordon Project to help those experiencing homelessness,” Kendrew-Ascah wrote.

Council voted 8-1 to grant the licence with Coun. Teri Towner opposed. There was no discussion at the Dec. 11 meeting.

Previously, supporters of the licence emphasized the advantages of greater convenience and choice.

The grocery store’s wine section will be about 160 metres from Berezan Liquor Store – a prospect that worried store proprietor Troy Bilodeau when the issue was debated in November.

“There’s an automatic 15-20 percent loss in wine sales,” he said, noting that his prediction was based on the loss in sales he saw at a Langley location after a nearby Superstore started offering wine.

“We’d hate to have to let some of those people go because of this,” he told council.

Woody’s Pub proprietor Gordon Cartwright warned that the licence would hasten the deteriorating of area small businesses.

Increased availability of alcohol will increase consumption, advised Medical Health Officer for Fraser Health Dr. Cheryl Young during the November meeting.

Besides direct health issues, there is also a higher risk of unintentional injuries such as car crashes, resulting in strain on the health care system. Young also noted impacts on the justice system and lost productivity associated with alcohol.

While alcohol generates about $2 billion in annual revenue in B.C., that figure is: “a lot less than the $2.8 billion it costs to society,” Young said.

The province issued a moratorium on new grocery store wine licences. However, an already-issued licence can be switched to a different location.

The province requires at least one kilometre between liquor stores. That 1-km buffer doesn’t apply to a grocery store with wine on the shelf.

In 2022, Coquitlam council unanimously voted to allow Save-On-Foods to stock B.C. wines at their store between Pinetree Way and Westwood Street.