The Manitoba Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) is proclaiming its dedication to working with the City of Thompson to promote social responsibility and make the downtown part of the city a safe place to be.
The MLCC's annual general meeting was held in Thompson at the Mystery Lake Motor Hotel on Sept. 1. About 10 people, including city officials, RCMP officers and members of the community, attended the meeting, where they learned about what MLCC has done in the past year and its goals for the current one.
The MLCC deals with 2,900 suppliers in 56 countries around the world and supplies alcohol to 1,700 customers in Manitoba. The Crown agency, which operates under a board of directors appointed by the government, is the only liquor retailer in Canada that was invited to join the Wine and Spirits Guild, made up of 40 different liquor retailers that operate 500 stores in the United States. Around $229.2 million was returned to the provincial government from the MLCC in the 2009 fiscal year.
Ken Hildahl, president and CEO of the MLCC, Al Roney, acting director and retail sales director, Winston Yee, director of licensing and inspection, Jeff Reid, sales manager and Larry Caplette, store manager at the liquor mart in Thompson, all attended the meeting to educate people about the different aspects of the MLCC.
Roney says the MLCC takes social responsibility very seriously, and has undertaken educational programs like With Child, Without Alcohol and Be Undrunk, which are promoted throughout the year at liquor marts, licensed premises and on the radio, television and in print media.
Roney adds that social responsibility also includes working with communities to address specific concerns they might have. The MLCC has been working with the City of Thompson, Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak (MKO) as well as the RCMP as a partner in the city's downtown strategy. He says the MLCC has also implemented a number of measures to address the issues of public intoxication, violence and bootlegging. The MLCC has partnered with the City of Thompson to bring forth the Downtown Ambassador program; has worked with the Healthy Communities Working Group, which promotes the practices of universal barring and the Westminster sherry bottle return program; has helped with the Thompson Downtown Revitalization program and has put in new security, lighting and completed renovations at the MLCC location in Thompson.
"We have provided financial assistance to establish the Downtown Ambassadors program, we have provided improved lighting and security around the liquor mart, and we have implemented maximum bottle purchases at both the liquor mart and liquor vendors in Northern communities to address bootlegging," Roney says. "This was a major initiative and it didn't come without substantial cost to the MLCC and lost revenue, but that shows our dedication."
Currently, customers in Thompson are allowed to purchase a maximum of four 375 ml bottles, six 750 ml bottles, six 1140 ml bottles and two 1750 ml bottles daily. Roney says these regulations saw the MLCC sell 30,000 less units of whiskey than in 2006. The MLCC is also continuing funding of the sherry bottle pickup program in the City of Thompson.
Another move the corporation has made that fits well with the City of Thompson's goals is to eliminate plastic bags from all liquor marts in the province, which Roney says has saved an estimated 2.8 million plastic bags from going to landfills.
The MLCC representatives reaffirmed their desire to continue working with the City of Thompson to build on the programming that is already in place. Roney mentioned that he had spoken with Mayor Tim Johnston recently and the two plan to meet the next time Johnston, who was unable to attend the meeting, is in Winnipeg.
"I look forward, over the next year or two, to meet with the mayor and city council to see what other roles we can play. Legislatively we're restricted in some respects in terms of capital expenditures, but whatever is in our power towards the City of Thompson to make for a better downtown and a better community, we will do," Roney says.
Deputy Mayor Oswald Sawh was in attendance at the meeting and made a brief presentation which outlined that the MLCC's involvement in the city's downtown strategy was a positive first step but only the beginning of the work that needs to be done by both organizations. Sawh discussed the need for a Northern detox centre and updated the MLCC representatives on the Thompson Homeless Shelter and the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba program in the city.
Sawh closed by saying that he'd like to see the MLCC involved in sponsorship of Northern initiatives balancing the MLCC's impact on Thompson, continued participation on the Thompson Downtown Strategy, a commitment to increased MLCC dollar support over the next three years and a commitment to the Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) program.
