Société des alcools du Québec
Encyclopedia
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
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Organization
The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) is a government-owned corporation responsible for the trade of alcoholic beverages within the province of Quebec.The Act respecting the Société des alcools du Québec (R.S.Q. S-13) is the official piece of legislation governing the SAQ's operations and management. The sole share-holder is the Minister of Finance of the Quebec government.
The Société des alcools du Québec headquarters are located in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
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The symbol of the SAQ represents 3 aspects of SAQ stores:
- The white letter "Q" represents the province of Quebec
- The red wine glass
- The image of a store front
The SAQ operates under six different banners throughout the province of Quebec:
- SAQ (Classique): varied selection, in towns and villages where there is only one SAQ branch
- SAQ Express: top-selling products, in large urban centres, extended business hours
- SAQ Sélection: extended selection, professional service and counselling
- SAQ Signature: high-end products, 2 exclusive stores (MontrealMontrealMontreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
and Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
) - SAQ Dépôt: warehouse-style stores, wholesale packages
- SAQ.com: Webstore
A selection of wines and low-alcoholic-content beverages are also available in supermarkets.
Presidents-general managers
- Georges-A. Simard (CLQ)
- L.-B. Cordeau (CLQ)
- Arthur Savoie (CLQ)
- J.-Édouard Tellier (CLQ)
- Édouard Archambault (CLQ)
- Lorne G. Power (RAQ)
- Roger Laverdure (RAQ)
- Jacques Desmeules (1971–1978)
- Daniel Wermelinger (1978–1983)
- Jean-Guy Lord (1983–1986)
- Jocelyn Tremblay (1986–1997)
- Gaétan Frigon (1998–2002)
- Louis L. Rocquet (2003–2004)
- Sylvain Toutant (2004–2007)
- Philippe Duval (2008-)
Alcohol consumption in Quebec
As the provider of alcohol in Quebec, the SAQ's market data gives a quick overview of alcohol consumption in the province. In its 2009-2010 annual report, the Corporation confirms 77.9% of sales through the SAQ stores and grocery stores alone were table winesWine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
. The remainder is shared among various products: 14.8% were spirits
Distilled beverage
A distilled beverage, liquor, or spirit is an alcoholic beverage containing ethanol that is produced by distilling ethanol produced by means of fermenting grain, fruit, or vegetables...
, 5.4% coolers, 1.5% beers and 0.4% ciders and other products.
The report also includes Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada is the Canadian federal government agency commissioned with producing statistics to help better understand Canada, its population, resources, economy, society, and culture. Its headquarters is in Ottawa....
data comparing alcohol consumption in Canada. Quebec falls in first place in wine consumption (21.4 litres per person per year) and in third place in beer consumption (94.5 litres). On the flip side, Quebec is last (12th) in spirits consumption (with 4.1 liters on average).
Legal drinking age
The legal drinking ageLegal drinking age
Laws about the legal drinking age cover a wide range of issues and behaviours, addressing when and where alcohol can be consumed. The minimum age alcohol can be legally consumed can be different to the age when it can be purchased. These laws vary among different countries and many laws have...
is 18 in Quebec and there are restrictions as to who can purchase alcoholic beverages (R.S.Q. I-8.1). The legal age for the purchase of alcoholic beverages is 18 years. By law, SAQ stores cannot sell alcohol to minors or adults intent on distributing to minors (including the holders of parental authority). Nonetheless, underage persons are not restricted from SAQ stores. Official policy is to ask for photo identification from any customer who looks under 25.
History
The Société des alcools du Québec was created in 1921 under the name Commission des liqueurs du Québec. In 1961, it became the Régie des alcools du Québec and, in 1971, the Société des alcools du Québec.In 1921, an Alcoholic Beverages Act was passed and the Commission des liqueurs du Québec was established to conduct the trade of beer, wine and cider, and eventually spirits too. This state-owned corporation would then on exercise a legal monopoly on all distribution of alcohol in Quebec. In its first year, the commission establishes a quality control laboratory, opens 64 stores selling 383 products, employs 415 people and grosses $15 million in sales.
See also
- Pied-du-Courant PrisonPied-du-Courant PrisonThe Pied-du-Courant Prison is a building in Montreal, Quebec near the Saint Lawrence River and the Jacques-Cartier Bridge.- Overview :A former prison, it now houses offices of the Société des alcools du Québec, the state-owned liquor board in Quebec. It saw the incarceration and execution by...
- former prison which houses offices of the SAQ - LCBO - The province of Ontario's crown corporation equivalent
- Alberta Gaming and Liquor CommissionAlberta Gaming and Liquor CommissionThe Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission is an agent of the Government of the Canadian province of Alberta, and regulates alcoholic beverage and gaming-related activities...