Last week the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) passed Bill 53, An Act to Amend the Liquor Act, to address various administrative matters.

Amendments to the Liquor Act will:

• increase personal importation limits;
• separate responsibility for liquor enforcement from the NWT Liquor Licensing Board;
• remove the liquor licence bans on individuals charged with crimes; and
• formalize the name for the Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission.

These amendments are separate from the NWT Liquor Legislation Review conducted by the Department of Finance to create more modern, streamlined, and responsive liquor legislation and regulations. More information about the Review is available online at https://haveyoursay.nwt-tno.ca/liquor-legislation-review.

Quote(s)

“The GNWT remains committed to ensuring the safe and responsible regulation and distribution of alcohol in the Northwest Territories. These amendments are a first step as part of a larger review of the Liquor Act. The process as a whole will help the government to ensure the Liquor Act best considers the interests of all stakeholders; incorporates best practices from literature and other jurisdictions; and addresses both public safety and business interests.”

- Caroline Wawzonek, Minister of Finance

Quick facts

• Increasing personal limits on liquor is consistent with a commitment made by the Premiers of Canada in 2019 to increase or eliminate limits and an agreement in the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Action Plan: Trade in Alcoholic Beverages to improve the cross-Canadian trade of alcoholic beverages.
• The Liquor Act has been amended so that NWT Liquor Enforcement and the Liquor Licensing Board operate independently of one another.
• Under previous legislation, the Liquor Licensing Board could not issue a liquor licence to a person who was charged with a crime—even if the charges had not been proven in court.
• The Commission has been doing business as the Northwest Territories Liquor and Cannabis Commission since the legalization of cannabis in 2018.

Related links

• www.ntlcc.ca
• https://www.fin.gov.nt.ca/en/services/education-and-enforcement
• https://www.fin.gov.nt.ca/en/services/licensing-and-permitting

For media requests, please contact:

Todd Sasaki

Manager, Public Affairs and Communications

Department of Finance

Government of the Northwest Territories

todd_sasaki@gov.nt.ca