No jobs will be lost, but the B.C. government is re-locating the province’s main liquor distribution branch warehouse.
The facility currently on Vancouver’s East Broadway will be moved to a new site within the next two years.
The minister responsible, Rich Coleman, says it’s replacement is expected to be more efficient and a request for proposals will be issued soon.
The head of a major B.C. public-sector union is questioning the government’s motive in announcing it is moving a liquor distribution branch warehouse.
Darryl Walker of the government and service employees’ union says the warehouse sits on a ‘very valuable’ piece of property.
“It’s on a main corridor, Broadway, it’s on a main Skytrain hub. And so the sense is this is just another piece of property that’s being sold off, another government asset that’s being sold off, to try and balance the budget.”
The government says a new warehouse would be more efficient, with better loading docks and higher ceilings for better inventory control.
Walker says a better idea for improving distribution is to add more stores and open for business on Sundays.