I am asking for our government to take a common sense approach to legislation surrounding what requirements must be met to become an agency NSLC. Currently my understanding is that Agency stores must be more than 10kms from an existing corporate store, and 13kms from an existing agency store. Basing which business is able to provide service to customers based on distance from other available outlets doesn’t seem to make much sense.

In Pictou County alone corporate stores:

NSLC Stellerton to NSLC Westville            4.6 kms

NSLC Stellerton to NSLC Aberdeen          3.4 kms

NSLC Aberdeen to NSLC Westside           2.2 kms

NSLC Westside to NSLC Westville             6.6 kms

Which means someone could drive a 16.8 KM loop and stop at 4 NSLC corporate stores. I think that we could agree distance being used as a determining factor should be revisited.

Falling in line with the Nova Scotia’s government response to COVID 19 pandemic, we have determined that access to the products at the NSLC are essential. We have also determined that staying in our community will help stop the spread of this virus. Having access to these products in our community would also keep the members of our community and surrounding areas from having to go into the more densely populated areas in the event of another wave or future virus.

Small rural businesses have been disappearing, taking with them jobs and services to people in those communities. Legislation that make things fair for all business and create equal opportunity for all is the direction that I would like to see our government follow.